SAN ANTONIO – UPDATE: A man accused of killing a young mother while he was driving drunk has been found guilty.
(ORIGINAL STORY)
Her voice often breaking, Maria Isabel Mata talked in court Friday of the last time she saw her daughter, Samantha Garza, 26, alive.
Mata said they’d argued because she felt as though Garza was staying out too late.
“I mentioned that she needed to start coming home earlier, because I didn’t feel like they were coming in at an appropriate time,” Mata said.
Mata said that Garza became angry and took her two young children with her and left. Later that morning, Mata learned of the accident Garza was involved in.
“I saw it on the news, but I wasn’t sure,” Mata said.
Mata was the state’s final witness in the intoxication manslaughter trial of Roberto Arguello. His blood alcohol level as .19 when he ran over Garza, according to testimony.
Garza and a friend, Maverick Schneider, 19, were putting gas in Garza's car. She had run out of gas and was stranded near the Interstate 10, Interstate 37 interchange.
Arguello’s car struck them, killing Garza and critically injuring Schneider.
Garza was dragged beneath Arguello's car. The medical examiner testified that she died from multiple head and internal injuries.
If he is convicted, Arguello faces a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. The sentencing phase is set to begin Wednesday.
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