SAN ANTONIO – Surveillance video captured Tuesday afternoon showed the moments a pickup truck driver crashed into a moving car — one of 10 cars the driver collided with on the Southwest Side.
Twelve people, including an 18-month-old baby, were injured during the crashes on Southwest Military Drive and Bynum Avenue. San Antonio police said the driver was suffering from a mental crisis.
“She was turning left … and the next thing she knows, is my granddaughter flew out of the car seat because of the impact,” said Eileen Mares, a mother and grandmother of some of the victims.
Mares said he daughter and 18-month-old granddaughter were inside the vehicle plowed by the pickup. Their vehicle was heavily damaged by the strong impact.
Ten others were hurt when the pickup driver intentionally hit several vehicles, police said. The driver crashed into a mobile home and was also seriously hurt.
A man rushed to help the family in a Suburban full of children that was hit.
“The kids were scared out of their mind. They were screaming, scared and bleeding,” said Francis Jessie, who is a former emergency medical technician.
Jessie is one of several witnesses who told police the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed.
The crime scene stretched about a half-mile. Police said there was thousands of dollars’ worth of damage and many were left shaken up.
“Right now, all I can say is I thank God. I know God’s hand was in this after seeing the vehicle like this,” Mares said.
The 18-month-old is doing OK and is being kept overnight at University Hospital for observation. The other victims taken to different hospitals are also expected to be OK.
The family in the mobile home is getting help from the Red Cross.
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