SAN ANTONIO – A 24-year-old tow truck driver has been in medical care for more than three months after he was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash while working along Loop 410, according to his family.
Julian Ramirez, a father of six, was struck while assisting motorists on the side of the highway in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, his mother, Brandy Salinas, said.
Ramirez frequently posted videos online of his work, including some about the dangers tow truck drivers face, warning drivers to slow down and move over near emergency and service vehicles.
Salinas said Ramirez was helping two women with their vehicle shortly after 1 a.m. off Loop 410 near Ray Ellison Boulevard when the crash happened.
“He told the girls he was helping, ‘It’s OK, you can go home. I’m just going to hook it and book it, and we’ll call it a night,” Salinas said. “The girls insisted on staying, and if it wasn’t for them still being there, Julian would not be here.”
The suspect’s vehicle was described as a silver sedan traveling southbound on Loop 410 near Ray Ellison Boulevard around 1:13 a.m., according to the San Antonio Police Department. The driver fled the scene, and no arrests have been made.
Salinas said her son suffered extensive lifelong injuries.
“He had a broken pelvis, amputated leg, broken ribs, orbital fractures, nasal fractures, fractures to his head,” Salinas said.
Ramirez had remained in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities since the crash and has not yet returned home, according to his family.
Despite the challenges, Salinas said she does not hold hatred toward the person responsible.
“I can’t hold hatred in my heart because if I do that, it’s going to affect him,” Salinas said. “I can’t bring any negativity toward Julian in that aspect, so all I can say is I forgive that person, and I just hope that it weighs heavily on their heart.”
The family said their primary focus is helping Ramirez recover so he can eventually reunite with his children, who range in age from 10 months to 5 years old.
Salinas said moments such as watching San Antonio Spurs playoff games have given the family hope during his recovery.
“He does smile a little bit,” Salinas said, adding that Ramirez reacts during exciting moments in games.
The family hopes an upcoming surgery next month will allow Ramirez to leave medical facilities and continue recovery at home.
Meanwhile, they are also navigating the financial stress of child care and months of medical bills.
“I believe we’re well over the $150,000 mark,” Salinas said. “Maybe even more than that.”