A drunk driver who killed two people on Rosecrans Street has pleaded guilty to two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The driver pleaded guilty on July 25 just before a prosecutor was poised to file two counts of second-degree murder against him in the deaths of a grandmother and her grandson.

Court records show San Diego Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein allowed the guilty pleas of Edgar Jesus Suarez, 34, in the deaths of Ahmed Alrawi, 23, and Suad Alsamarai, 81, on May 8.

A minute order from the criminal file says Goldstein denied a motion from Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright to allow her to amend the charges to include second-degree murder.

Bright could not be reached for comment afterward. A message from her office said she will return on Aug. 7.

Suarez also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, driving without a license, and driving under the influence with injury to the other family members.

He faces a maximum sentence of 27 years and 10 months in prison, according to his plea form. Goldstein set sentencing for Sept. 2 and he remains in jail without bail.

If Suarez had been convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, he could have been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on those charges alone plus more for DUI and the other charges.

Even though Suarez faces a long sentence under both scenarios, he has a better chance of parole eventually with the guilty pleas to vehicular manslaughter than with the murder charges.

His attorney could not be reached for comment.

At Suarez’s arraignment on May 11, Bright said Suarez was driving between 70-80 mph on Sports Arena Boulevard when his Toyota Tacoma struck a median. It became airborne and landed on top of a family minivan on Rosecrans Street.

Suarez’s blood/alcohol level was .16 three hours after the crash at a hospital, said Bright.

Suarez remains in the central jail without bail.