GROVES, Texas — A Jefferson County jury sentenced a 21-year-old Port Arthur man on Friday to 76 years in prison a day after finding him guilty in the 2022 fatal shooting of a man in the parking lot of the McDonald's in Groves.
Jurors on determined during sentencing on Friday that Darryl Dwayne Prevost, 21, of Port Arthur, did not act with "sudden passion," which would have lowered his sentencing range.
The guilty verdict for Prevost came in after 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Jurors will begin hearing testimony in the punishment phase of the trial on Friday morning.
He is now facing from five to 99 years or life in prison and is set to be sentenced by the jury.
Opening statements began Tuesday morning in the trial of a 21-year-old Port Arthur man accused in the 2022 shooting death of a man in the parking lot of the McDonald's in Groves.
Prevost was one of two men charged in the fatal shooting of Alfonso Solomon, 19, according to a probable cause affidavit in the case.
Darionte Kelvon Everfield, 22, of Port Arthur was also charged in the murder and is in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility awaiting trial.
The jury was selected and seated on Monday, December 4, 2023.
Tuesday's testimony
Prosecutor Daniel Boyd told jurors in his opening statement that Solomon was waiting in the drive-thru lane when Prevost and Everfield pulled up at the McDonald's just before 11 p.m. on April 14, 2022.
He noted that Solomon and Prevost had previously been at odds with each other.
Boyd told jurors that Everfield got out of the car and walked over to Solomon's car and stared at Solomon. Surveillance video will show Solomon getting out of his car and beginning to argue with Everfield, Boyd told jurors.
The video will also show Prevost still waiting in the other car begin to fire several shots at Solomon, he said.
As Solomon runs away Prevost can then be seen firing two more shots before Solomon falls to the ground, Boyd told them.
He also mentioned Prevost's eventual arrest in Baytown and his claims to police that he feared for his life because Solomon had threatened him.
Boyd explained to jurors that the video would not support those claims.
When Prevost's defense attorney, Joel Vazquez, opened he told jurors they would see that everyone involved was young and reckless and did "stupid things."
“These boys live a life we read about, but we don’t live it,” he told jurors. “It’s very sad, and it’s very tragic.”
Vazquez told jurors that after they hear all of the evidence they will come to the conclusion that Boyd felt that his life was in danger and acted in self-defense.
Tuesday morning's proceedings were briefly interrupted during the testimony of a Groves Police officer.
Body camera video was displayed for the jury when a family member of the victim became upset at the images in the video. The man had to be restrained and removed from the courtroom.
“It’s obvious that family, or people who are associated with what we are seeing, that obviously was a surprise to them,” Judge Stevens told the jury. “They didn’t expect that. You can imagine anyone seeing a family member in that situation in a surprise way is going to react with great emotion and unfortunately this is not unusual in cases where there are shootings, and everyone’s got to realize that this is what happens usually when we have to deal with cases in this courtroom."
Background of the case
Groves Police officers were sent to the McDonald’s in the 4500 block of Twin City Highway shortly before 11 p.m., April 14, 2022, after the shooting was reported.
When officers got to the scene they found a silver 2017 Chevrolet Impala parked near the restaurant’s main entrance. Officers said the vehicle looked as if it had been damaged by bullets.
Officers also found Solomon lying face down near the building.
After realizing Solomon had been shot, officers tried to save his life. However, Solomon was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.
Officers spoke with McDonald’s staff and watched surveillance video. After watching the video, they were able to determine that at 10:43 p.m., a red Dodge Journey parked right next to where the Impala was found.
At that time, the Impala was in the drive thru. Solomon was the driver of the Impala.
Darionte Everfield was driving the Dodge. He entered into the restaurant, went to the front counter and talked to employees. McDonald's staff were able to identify him, according to the affidavit.
The Impala pulled into the parking lot at 10:46 p.m., and Solomon stayed inside the vehicle. One minute later, Everfield left the McDonald’s and went to the Impala, peering into the car's front windshield.
Solomon got out, and the two men stood within inches of each other between the two vehicles. Officers said it looked like they were arguing.
The apparent argument lasted a short time. During it, the front passenger door of the Dodge opened and Everfield appeared to speak with someone inside the vehicle.
The person inside the Dodge was later determined to be Prevost. Everfield then stepped away, and Solomon stayed in between the two cars.
Police said multiple bright flashes that seemed to come from a gun firing could be seen. The flashes came from the Dodge’s right passenger window.
Solomon ran away from his Impala, towards where he was later found by officers. Multiple shots were fired as he ran away.
Everfield hurried back to the driver seat and fled the scene while Prevost remained inside, according to the affidavit.
Police said surveillance video confirmed Prevost was inside the Dodge when it first got to the McDonald’s, because no one else had entered or exited while it was there.
Officers began searching for the two suspects. Everfield’s grandmother, Gloria Glenn, told officer’s the Dodge Journey belonged to a woman named LaChassity Johnson.
Johnson told police that Glenn called her on the day of the shooting, just minutes after it took place. Johnson said Glenn told her that Prevost shot someone while sitting in her car.
Johnson told police that when Everfield and Prevost got to her house, they were nervous and frantic. Johnson said that Prevost said that man, “shouldn't have said he was gonna kill me and Darionte and started reaching for something.”
Everfield was arrested on April 21, 2022 in Harris County at a relative’s apartment.
On April 25, 2022 police listened to a recorded phone call that Everfield made on April 23, 2022 from the Jefferson County Jail.
During the call, Everfield was asked if the Solomon had a weapon. Everfield said Solomon had not made it back to his vehicle when Prevost began shooting him.
Police received tips from two different sources on April 26 and April 28, 2022 that Prevost was in Baytown. On April 29, 2022 officers found Prevost and arrested him.
Police said Prevost confessed to firing the gun that killed Solomon.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.