Veronica Lopez of Uvalde County has filed a civil suit seeking over $1 million in damages against Zavala County residents Darell Gene Rivera and Richard Arredondo Jr. in reference to an incident in Concan on Easter Sunday where one woman was killed.
Both men are also facing criminal charges for the incident. Rivera, a teenager from La Pryor, is the alleged driver of a truck which struck and killed the woman while being driven through a crowd. The Dodge Ram truck is owned by Arredondo, 22, also of La Pryor.
The suit, filed on July 27 in the 38th Judicial District Court, alleges Lopez was attending an Easter gathering on April 4 when Rivera, “Suddenly, and without warning, failed to control the vehicle’s speed, and struck the Plaintiff and a number of other pedestrians, causing the death of one of them.”
It alleges negligence on Rivera’s part, stating there was an extreme degree of risk to his alleged behavior, with a probability of causing potential harm.
Arredondo is also named as negligent for allegedly entrusting his vehicle, as the suit states: “when he knew, or should have known that Darell Gene Rivera was under the influence of alcohol, was an incompetent, or reckless driver.”
While Rivera and Arredondo were both arrested, neither one had an alcohol-related charge. Their cases are still pending consideration from the Uvalde County Grand Jury.
Lopez is seeking compensation for injuries, medical bills, lost wages, damage to her vehicle and pain and suffering.
“As a direct and proximate result of the collision and the negligent conduct of the Defendant, Plaintiff Veronica Lopez suffered bodily injuries as reflected in the medical records from the health care providers that have treated the injuries since the collision. The injuries may be permanent in nature. The injuries have had an effect on the Plaintiff’s health and well-being. As a further result of the nature and consequences of the Plaintiff’s injuries, the Plaintiff has suffered and may continue to suffer into the future, physical pain and mental anguish,” reads text in the lawsuit petition.
Lopez has requested the suit be tried by a jury and is represented by the law office of Thomas J.Henry out of San Antonio.
Incident, death
Criselda Rojas, 23, of La Pryor was attending a party at the Heartstone subdivision in Concan when she was run over by a vehicle. Rojas died from her injuries. Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched at approximately 12:30 a.m. to the location for a report of the incident, in which a truck had allegedly driven through a gathering of people, and the driver fled the scene.
At the time of the incident, Sgt. Gilbert Valdez with the UCSO criminal investigation division said evidence was still being processed and whether or not anyone else was injured in the incident was still under investigation.
On the morning of April 6, two days after the reported incident, Darell Gene Rivera, 17, a La Pryor High School junior, was arrested on a warrant for manslaughter.
Arredondo, who Valdez said was a passenger in his truck at the time of the incident, was arrested April 4 at 1:28 a.m. for resisting arrest, search or transport.
