Authorities ID 23-year-old found dead after vehicle fire on Northwest Side

The man’s body was found when firefighters extinguished the flames

Fatal vehicle fire at Interstate 10 West and Loop 1604 on Monday, July 5, 2021. (KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – A man whose body was found in a charred vehicle on the Northwest Side last week has been identified.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner identified Gabriel James Garza as the driver of the vehicle, which caught fire around 4 a.m. on July 5 at N. Loop 1604 W. and Valero Way, not far from Interstate 10.

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The man was allegedly driving at a high rate of speed northbound on Valero Way, ran a stop sign at Loop 1604, drove across the access road and struck a concrete divider, according to San Antonio police.

No other vehicles were involved.

San Antonio firefighters arrived at the location to extinguish the fire and Garza’s body was discovered inside the vehicle.

SAPD said the make and model of the vehicle were unknown “due to the extent of the damage caused by the fire.”

KSAT has reached out to SAPD for more information about the crash. This story will be updated when that information becomes available.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.