Photo by Rebecca Aguilar, a witness who narrowly evaded casualty.
Edits made Wednesday evening to reflect the account and photos of witness Rebecca Aguilar, who was driving the Volkswagen mentioned in the police report.
Police Tuesday arrested Jose Aguado, 28, and charged him with criminally negligent homicide after witnesses say he ran a red light, causing a crash that killed a 62-year-old driver.
At about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, the victim who has not been named yet, was traveling northbound along Abrams approaching Walnut Hill. His son rode in the passenger seat. Rebecca Aguilar, a reporter by profession, was in her Volkswagen, sitting at the Walnut Hill traffic light.
Then a tsunami of destruction barreled through the Lake Highlands intersection.
Witnesses say the suspect Jose Aguado was carrying a gun and that, when asked why he was in a hurry, he said he was not. (Rebecca Aguilar)
“Several credible witnesses said Aguado ran the red light at eastbound Walnut Hill Lane at Abrams Road and [T-boned] the victim’s left panel,” according to a police report. The impact knocked the victim’s white Lexus sedan into Aguilar’s Volkswagen sitting at the red light facing west on Walnut Hill, the report notes. The driver of the sedan was dead at the scene and his juvenile passenger was transported to Children’s Hospital “as a precaution,” police say.
Many Good Samaritans went to help the man in the Lexus who passed away at the scene. I saw him take his last breaths.
“I saw everything that happened,” Aguilar says.
Suspect in negligent homicide Jose Aguado.
“Witnesses told police that the suspect was driving 60 miles per hour. After he crashed into the car, the Lexus spun around quickly and was headed my way at a fast speed,” she says. “And that’s when I thought, ‘this is it,’ but I said, ‘help me God,’ and suddenly the car just nicked my VW.”
Not included in police notice we received: Aguilar says suspect Aguado dropped a gun when he exited his truck. “He told us and other witnesses that he was driving with it in his lap,” she says.
Aguilar did not sustain any significant physical injuries, so she remained at the scene to assist in any way possible.
“Many Good Samaritans went to help the man in the Lexus who passed away at the scene,” she says. “I saw him take his last breaths.”
Aguilar, the consummate reporter, promptly researched the suspect and found documents showing that he failed to show up for a drug charge in Dallas County courts in January. And in August 2016 he received a ticket in Balch Springs for running a red light.
