SAN ANTONIO – Owners of a dog that was mowed down by a speeding driver are demanding new traffic regulations in the area.
Fred Swaney, 68, said his 7-year-old husky mix was hit by a speeding car in front of his yard on Red Robin Road.
The dog named Kako was being trained to be a service dog.
“It felt like somebody put a knife in me,” Swaney said.
“There's tire tracks leading to four feet off the road. It looked intentional, and initially, we just felt a lot of anger,” said Nathan Swaney, Fred Swaney’s son.
Nathan Swaney and his girlfriend stood outside with signs Friday, hoping drivers would slow down.
“It's the morning rush and the morning commute that's a big issue from 6 to 8,” said Jordan Marie Damian, Nathan Swaney’s girlfriend.
Across the street from the Swaney home is a digital sign that lets drivers know if they’re going more than the 25 mph speed limit. The only problem, the family said, is that the sign has only been in place for a month and drivers keep speeding.
District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez said speeding is a problem throughout his district.
“Each and every one of us who has a license has a responsibility to not do dumb things,” Pelaez said.
Pelaez said he’s looking into solutions for Swaney’s street as well as other problematic areas, including Sonoma Parkway, Imperial Cross outside of Loop 1604 and Vance Jackson between Woodstone and Huebner.
“Whether that’s speed bumps or additional signing or additional police officers or other kinds of solutions is yet to be seen,” Pelaez said.
Pelaez said his office is working to get Fred Swaney a new service dog. The councilman said speed bumps, speed signs and more patrol could be added to the area by early next year.