Nine months have passed since the death of Jaime Octavio López Rangel, 48, and the serious injuries suffered by his minor sons, Gerardo Misael and Max López, who were brutally struck in a car accident at a traffic light located on Cuauhtémoc and Pino Suárez streets in Durango. The accident occurred on Friday, December 6, 2024.
The young men, currently 17 and 15 years old, still suffer physical and psychological scars that have not been able to heal, especially because their family and their lives will never be the same, and they have had to rely on their own financial means to provide for themselves.
Sandra Bibiana Beltrán González, the minors’ mother, demands justice and reparation for the damages. She asks that the person who caused the accident assume responsibility and cover the costs of her children’s rehabilitation and psychological care, as well as the death of one person.
At the time, a 21-year-old man identified as Andrick Alberto was identified as responsible. However, Sandra maintains that the real culprit is Carlos Manuel, a close relative of the state governor, who, she says, was quickly cleared of the accident. She even claims that apparently bodyguards removed him from the scene.
“The real culprit never set foot in jail or was detained. Supposedly, he was at San Jorge Hospital, but the videos I have clearly show that nothing happened to him. He got out of his truck and even complained about the crash,” she stated.
She added: “In the videos, you can see that the light was red, he was traveling at the speed he was traveling, and that he was running all the lights from the monument. He ran them all until he crashed and killed Jaime. He killed him and seriously injured my children… Justice hasn’t been served, and they forged our identity because they didn’t hold Carlos Manuel responsible, they blamed Andreck Alberto.”
ACCIDENT REPORT
The official report released to the media and social media indicated that the collision occurred around 11:00 p.m. at the intersection of Cuauhtémoc and Pino Suárez streets.
The collision between a 1997 Chrysler Town & Country SUV and a GMC Sierra resulted in the instant death of the 48-year-old driver of the Chrysler, a resident of the José Revueltas neighborhood, and serious injuries to his 14- and 16-year-old children. The 21-year-old driver of the GMC was arrested for drunkenness and suspected of being responsible.
Although Andrick Alberto was arrested at the scene and taken into custody by the Public Ministry, he was released on Monday, December 9, after posting bail, allowing him to continue his legal proceedings. Since then, the family claims they have had no access to justice and that authorities have covered up the real culprit.
SEVERITY OF INJURIES
“So far, my children haven’t had justice. They haven’t received medical attention, nor have they received payment for rehabilitation or psychological therapy. The oldest was in intensive care for two weeks; we weren’t assured that he would turn out well, and now he’s still in rehabilitation,” Sandra said.
The children were hospitalized at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), as the family didn’t have the resources to pay for a private hospital, and, according to the mother, they were never offered that option. When she demanded that they take responsibility for their care, she claims they asked for invoices and were denied.
The oldest suffered a broken collarbone, a broken rib, and a punctured lung, while the youngest also suffered multiple fractures and serious injuries.
“The oldest is undergoing rehabilitation at the CREE (National Institute of Social Security); I can’t afford to pay for another place, and he also requires care from a neurologist,” she explained.
The mother points out that, although they were treated in public health institutions, the transportation, medications, and care entailed expenses the family could not cover.
Currently, the two have returned to school, but they remain emotionally affected.
Sandra hopes the authorities will stop protecting the real culprit and that justice will finally be served for her family.
Source: elsiglodedurango
