SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County judge sentenced a woman to 12 years in prison on Friday after she was convicted of running over and killing a bicyclist two years ago.
Bella Dae Garza was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter and endangering a child after the crash occurred on March 22, 2022.
Garza was intoxicated when she was behind the wheel of a vehicle that crashed into 18-year-old Emilian Ramirez on Basse Road near McCullough Avenue.
Ramirez was a senior at Henry Ford Art Academy.
KSAT spoke with Abigail Perez, who was Ramirez’s girlfriend of five years, on Friday.
“He made everybody laugh. Like, as soon as he’d enter the room,” Perez said.
Perez said he was excited for his future.
“We were just talking about prom and graduation and all that stuff,” said Perez.
Investigators determined that Garza was speeding before she lost control, struck Ramirez and slammed into a tree.
At the time of the crash, Garza also had a baby in the car with her.
Bexar County Judge Velia Meza listened to hours of testimony and evidence before she made the ruling on Friday evening.
The evidence included body camera footage from officers who responded to the crash.
Garza was heard in the video admitting to speeding. She also apologized repeatedly.
While Garza did not react to the video in court, for some of Ramirez’s loved ones, the video was too much to bear.
Garza teared up at times while she took the stand on Friday afternoon.
Garza’s 12-year prison sentence also includes credit for time served. She will also have to pay Ramirez’s family $1,490 in restitution, court records show.
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