Innocent family killed in street racing crash in Grand Prairie
GRAND PRAIRIE — A devastating crash in Grand Prairie killed an innocent family from Garland over the weekend. Police have two suspects in custody and blame the crash on street racing.
Witness Yvette Acosta said a quick stop at her local gas station led her to witness the high-speed crash Saturday night.
"I was only feet away from the crash. It sounded like a bomb exploded," Acosta said. "The car just caught on fire. It was very traumatizing because a lot of people were here trying to help the people."
According to family friends, the crash tragically killed four members of the Rosales family: parents Jessie and Lorena Rosales and two of their children: their 6-year-old son Angel and 13-year-old daughter Stephanie. Their third child,16-year-old Anthony Rosales, suffered serious injuries and is still in the hospital.
Elisa Arguello can't stop reliving what she witnessed Saturday night.
"We were gardening, and we saw these cars passing by super, super fast and then, right away a huge crash," said Arguello. "When I saw the fumes, I just started running and I heard all the explosions."
She and other witnesses, like Yvette Acosta, recording what they saw.
In Acosta's video, the Rosales family car is seen engulfed in flames by the Fuel Stop gas station in the 1700 block of South Beltline Road.
Grand Prairie police say two drivers in red and white Dodge Chargers were racing each other along S. Beltline Rd. around 8 p.m.
Investigators say the Rosales family was heading north on Beltline Road and was turning onto Kingston Drive. Police said that's when one of the racing cars hit the family at a very high speed, causing the family's car to flip and catch fire.
"It's devastating and very hurtful because a lot of people were trying to help them and they couldn't get close to them," Acosta said.
She says she's still haunted by the screams she heard coming from the car.
"I haven't been able to sleep well because of the screams because I wish you know, I could help those people. It's an emotional and tragic event," Acosta said.
Acosta says street racing happens nearly every day on Beltline Rd. She even recalls a deadly street-racing crash that happened in the same area a couple of years ago. She hopes something can be done to prevent future crashes.
"As a mother, you know, I mean, it's hurtful and I know those people, those families are going through a lot right now. I just pray for them," Acosta said.
"It just breaks my heart," said Arguello. "My daughter is 14 and one of the girls that died is 13 so, yeah it could be her, it could be anyone."
Police say they have both drivers in custody, 22-year-old Anthony Morales, fled the scene and was arrested Sunday night. Police say the other driver, 20-year-old Jaime Mesa, is still in the hospital and police plan to arrest him on on four charges of manslaughter.
Both are facing charges of racing causing death and bodily injury.
