San Antonio – For Rachel Gallegos, it’s been 887 days of grief, waiting, sadness, anger and every emotion that comes with losing a son.
Gabriel Gallegos, 44, was killed in May 2020 in a wrong-way driver crash along Loop 410.
“It’s been really difficult to really accept the fact that my son is gone, under the circumstances that he died,” Rachel said.
A woman was arrested in connection with the crash -- 23-year-old Mariana Campos Jimenez.
She’s been on bond since the crash and is charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Jimenez had no previous charges in Bexar County. The arrest affidavit indicates the arresting officer noticed Jimenez had “a noticeable slur in her speech,” and she was “dazed and confused.”
The victim’s brother, Gino Gallegos, said the family has been calling the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office weekly for updates on the case and feels justice will likely not be swift nor fair for his family.
“My family is frustrated with the way that things have been handled and also the amount of time it’s taken to get to a point where we’re going to find out what even happens in regards to my brother’s case. We’re still not there,” Gino Gallegos said.
Online court records show a trial date was set this week for the first time.
Gino Gallegos said he understands they are not the only victims waiting, but he said he and those other families don’t want to silently wait for the DA’s office to move at the pace they have. He hopes the billboard will encourage others to push back and demand swift action.
“We want our voice to be heard. And I don’t know how Gabe’s case is going to turn out, but for those other individuals who are going through the same thing we are, I want you to know you can speak up and something can be done, because a change has to occur because it’s not acceptable. It’s like you being victimized twice,” Gino Gallegos said.
The district attorney’s office responded to the family’s concerns in a statement:
“One of the reasons for the delay is that when this case was filed in May 2020, COVID-19 had already put jury trials on hold, delaying justice for not only Bexar County victims but also for victims around the entire country. This is a complicated case that both our office and the defense have spent an extraordinary amount of time investigating. Justice for the Gallegos family has always been a priority for our office. We expect all of the evidence and witnesses to be ready when the case is called for trial.”
The Gallegos family lives in Houston and said the billboard is not political -- it’s simply their way of holding the DA’s office accountable. The billboard will run for as long as the family can afford it.