PORT ARTHUR, Texas — "This can’t be real," is what the mother of a 22-year-old Port Arthur man told 12News as she works to raise money to bury her son following a deadly crash in Harris County.
Andre Garcia, Jason De Los Santos and another victim were killed early Friday morning.
"I have to bury my 22-year-old son," Regina Henry, Garcia's mother, said. "This can’t be life."
Harris County deputies believe Jonathan Lazo Jr., 24, was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe eastbound in the 16800 block of the East Freeway, and a 2011 Infinity G37 was stopped on the outside shoulder. The Infinity had its emergency lights on, and Garcia, Santos and one more person was standing behind the car.
Lazo allegedly failed to drive in a single lane and hit the three people behind the Infinity, according to a Harris County Sheriff's Office release. All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
"He was [my] firstborn son," Henry said. "He was my everything. He was my baby and always will be."
Henry describes Garcia as a wonderful brother and as a perfect son and father. Garcia leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old daughter.
"He left behind two babies, and they will never see their father again," Henry said. "He was a wonderful brother. He was loved by so many. I raised him to be a respectable young man."
Related: Two of three victims killed in early Friday morning Harris County crash were from Port Arthur
Garcia's mother said he was a truck driver and had his whole life ahead of him. Lazo is charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the deaths of Garcia and the other two victims.
"He didn’t deserve this nor his friends," Henry said. "All because this man choose to drive drunk, and he killed three innocent young men, and it’s not fair at all."
Lazo's bond for each intoxication manslaughter charge was set at $50,000 each. His bonds total $150,000, according to jail records.
"The judge gave him a bond of $150,000," Henry said. "That’s $50,000 [for] each person. This man killed three people. How the [sic] he gets a bond? He can be able to get out and go see his family, his kid, and we have to bury ours. The justice system is not right."
Henry said she will continue to fight to get justice for her son.
"My child didn’t deserve this," Henry said. "No mother should have to bury their child, and now I have to raise money to bury my son."
A GoFundMe has been started to help Garcia's family with funeral expenses.
