I witnessed this horrific wreck on Sunday that killed two three people.
Police said Ignacio Gomez-Gutierrez, 25, was speeding along the 22600 block of the Eastex Freeway about 3:40 p.m. Sunday when his pickup slammed into the back of a car.
Vanessa Ortiz, 18, and Maria Ortiz, 49, were in the 1998 Buick when it was struck from behind. They were both killed on impact, police said.
Vanessa Ortiz was also 5 months pregnant.
This is video of the scene moments after. It was a terrible wreck and I was in shock in seeing the car crumpled like a soda can. I knew the results were not going to be good.
The man driving the truck that crashed into the victims hopped out and tried to run away, only to be hit by a car himself. He survived, was arrested and is now facing two counts of intoxication manslaughter. (I’d argue it should be three)
When we saw him jump out and start to run, the group of witnesses surrounding me started wondering aloud about why he would run. Some thought he may have been drunk. Others suggested he could’ve been an illegal.
Turns out he was BOTH.
From the Houston Chronicle:
According to the investigating Houston police officer, Javier Calvillo, Gomez-Gutierrez’s blood alcohol was about three times the legal limit.
And this wasn’t his first time. He had three prior DWI convictions. THREE!
For the first misdemeanor conviction in 2002, he received 60 days confinement and for the second misdemeanor conviction in 2004 he was sentenced to only 10 days.
The third conviction should have been a felony, but it was reduced to a misdemeanor for which he was sentenced to a year in the county jail.
And as if that wasn’t enough bad news, it turns out he was also an illegal. According to an email I received from Cindy Horswell of the Chronicle, “Gomez-Gutierrrez was an illegal immigrant who entered this country in 2001 and was never deported after any of the three prior convictions.”
“We are so angry,” said Sylvia Flores, 28, whose mother and younger sister died in the accident. “If everyone had done what they were supposed to do, they would still be alive. I don’t want (Gomez-Gutierrez) to slip through the cracks again. He’s just been given a slap on the wrist. No wonder he did it again.”
Is anyone in immigration and law enforcement awake anymore? Consider the deaths of these three innocent people yet another tragic wake up call.
UPDATE:
Here’s an update to the story, including reactions from the prosecutor who let Gomez-Gutierrez off the hook and ICE officials who may have missed a chance to deport him… multiple times.
