Community mourns loss of 14-year-old girl in Garland hit-and-run that seriously injured her brother
A displaced road sign along a busy Garland road marks the spot where tragedy struck the community Saturday night when a 14-year-old girl was killed and her 16-year-old brother was seriously injured in a hit-and-run.
Just after 10:15 p.m. Saturday, March 15, Garland police said Stetson Ybarbo, 30, of Rowlett, was speeding eastbound on East Oates Road when his pickup truck left the roadway and struck the two teens along with several parked cars near the intersection of Miami Drive.
"You never expect nothing happen like that, especially when you see these people you were just talking to," Barry Fleming said.
Fleming said he worked at the corner store, at the intersection of East Oates Road and Broadway Boulevard, when he heard something horrible happen outside.
"They walked out the store, and that's when we heard the commotion stuff going on over. We actually heard something get hit, bang, boom, bang," Fleming said.
Fleming said the two teens had just shopped in the store moments before being struck.
"Our evidence suggests that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed at that point in time, passed through the intersection, crossed off the roadway into the grassy area and continued to drive eastbound where the two pedestrians were," Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau said.
Garland Police said the driver then struck several street signs and plowed into three vehicles parked on the street. The mangled aftermath remained a day later.
"What we're looking at here is as a tragedy. We have two teenagers, a 14-year-old female who lost her life and a 16-year-old who was transported in serious condition," Barineau said.
Barineau said the two teens were siblings; police identified the 14-year-old victim as Daisy Alcon Paredes.
"Distractions in a vehicle can cause a vehicle to veer off the roadway and cause an accident. Intoxication, alcohol or drugs, can also cause someone to not drive well and drive off a roadway, so it's very much part of the investigation," Barineau said.
Police said witnesses reported seeing Ybarbo flee the scene with a child after the crash, without helping either victim.
"Emotionally, it bothers me. I'm going to start tearing up again. It's bothering me. Anybody, it didn't have to be from the neighborhood. All it had to be is somebody. I care about people," Fleming said.
Fleming started a memorial to remember the victim. He said speeding is a major issue in the area.
"They're maniacs racing, drag racing," Fleming said. "They get these old trucks that are all fixed up and sit down low and stuff, and they get out here and race one another. The Camaro's are racing through here."
Neighbors are holding a candlelight vigil where the crash happened at 6 p.m. Monday, March 17.
The investigation is ongoing.
