Courtroom information present 21-year-old Mya Sinceno-Martinez was hit and killed by a wrong-way driver, who investigators say was intoxicated, on Freeway 225 in September.
DEER PARK, Texas — Grieving members of the family and pals gathered Thursday for the revealing of a roadside signal encouraging individuals to not drink and drive.
The signal, put up by the Texas Division of Transportation, was in reminiscence of 21-year-old Mya Sinceno-Martinez. It reads, “Please Don’t Drink And Drive.”
Deer Park police instructed KHOU 11 Information that Sinceno-Martinez died within the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2024, after they mentioned a driver, recognized as Julio Gonzalez, was going the fallacious method on Freeway 225 and collided head-on with Sinceno-Martinez’s automobile.
Courtroom paperwork revealed that responding officers “might odor the sturdy, distinct odor of an alcoholic beverage” coming off of Gonzalez, including that he had “crimson, glassy eyes and thick, slurred speech.”
Sinceno-Martinez was flown by helicopter to a hospital the place she was pronounced lifeless.
Gonzalez has been charged with intoxication manslaughter with a automobile. He’s out on bond, and his subsequent courtroom date is scheduled for April 22. Courtroom information present Julio Gonzalez had a previous DWI conviction from 2000.
“My world has been shattered. I by no means thought that I’d by no means see my child once more. I by no means thought that I’d not have the ability to stroll her down the aisle. I by no means thought I wouldn’t get to see her graduate from the college,” Sinceno-Martinez’s mom, Krystalle Wright, mentioned.
Wright mentioned her daughter was a College of Houston scholar who drove to high school from their house in La Porte, and he or she at all times traveled on Freeway 225. Wright mentioned Sinceno-Martinez was on her method house when the crash occurred.
“I used to be in disbelief. You by no means suppose it’s going to occur to you. You by no means suppose you’re going to get that cellphone name,” Wright mentioned.
Wright kissed the signal put up in her daughter’s honor, and he or she mentioned she hopes the signal acts as a deterrent for anybody pondering of getting behind the wheel whereas intoxicated.
“I hope that they bear in mind and understand {that a} valuable life was misplaced right here. I hope that they see that and take a minute, take a second the following time they resolve to exit and suppose, ‘Hey, let me not be a part of that statistic, and let me be a part of the answer as a substitute,” Wright mentioned. “Be accountable. Don’t drink and drive.”
That could be a message the Texas Division of Transportation mentioned they need drivers to take to coronary heart once they see the signal.
“It reminds of us that it’s by no means a good suggestion to drink and drive,” TxDOT spokesperson Danny Perez mentioned.
Perez mentioned TxDOT focuses on enforcement, engineering and training in the case of making an attempt to stop wrong-way and impaired driving. On the engineering aspect, he mentioned TxDOT has put a number of reminders in place on roadways throughout the Houston space.
“You’re going to see crimson reflective tape. You’ll see the don’t enter indicators, the fallacious method indicators. But when an individual is impaired, they’re not likely seeing that, in order that’s why we ask of us to not drive impaired,” Perez mentioned.
The training portion of TxDOT’s efforts was entrance and middle Thursday at a DWI simulator pop-up occasion at Houston Neighborhood Faculty. The occasion, which shared TxDOT’s “Drive Sober. No Regrets” anti-drunk driving marketing campaign, was designed to teach college students concerning the risks of drunk driving over spring break – in addition to any time of 12 months. Perez mentioned anybody pondering of partying throughout spring break, which is true across the nook for a lot of, ought to be proactive in the event that they select to drink.
“Have a plan forward of time. There’s loads of rideshare packages. You could have Uber, Lyft,” Perez mentioned.
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