Visiting judge Martha Huerta of Corpus Christi ruled a mistrial in the case of a Santa Monica man who was on trial for more than a week in Raymondville.

Mauro Concepcion Alvarez was charged in district court with the death of his friend, Pedro Palomo, 68 of Lyford on March 16, 2007.

A pickup truck owned by Alvarez rolled over near the floodway and the question was which of the two men were driving the day Palomo died?

District Attorney Bernard Ammerman tried to prove that it was Alvarez, who was at the wheel when the accident happened and that he was legally drunk at the time.

The defense argued that Palomo was driving Alvarez' pickup at the time and that he should not be blamed for his friend's death.

In the end, the 11-woman, 1- man jury could not decide, after listening to more than a week of conflicting testimony.

Undeterred, Ammerman said he will refile the case and start all over again to get a verdict.