Gabriela Vargas has spoken out about the horrifying moment an SUV slammed into her family’s sidewalk lunch table in Boyle Heights.
The daughter of Cristina Vargas, 81, recalled the July 7 crash outside Los Cinco Puntos to KTLA, describing how a normal afternoon turned catastrophic in seconds. Gabriela, her mother, and a male friend were seated at the outdoor dining area when an allegedly impaired driver suddenly veered onto the sidewalk and plowed directly into their table.
“I remember I just heard screeching and I was lifting up my head and I just saw headlights and a bumper and I heard a big boom,” Gabriela told the station.
“The next thing I knew, I was airborne,” she continued. Gabriela suffered a head injury and a deep laceration to her knee in the collision. The male friend was also injured. All three victims were rushed to a hospital for treatment.
But Cristina’s injuries proved far more severe than those of the other two diners. The 81-year-old mother was pinned underneath the vehicle in the violent collision and ultimately underwent three surgeries. Doctors were forced to amputate both of her legs as a result of the devastating crash.
Police determined the female driver was allegedly impaired when the crash occurred. The suspect was arrested and charged with multiple felonies. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators shows the driver traveling toward the outdoor dining area before the sudden veer onto the sidewalk, with screeching tires audible just before impact.
While Gabriela and the injured male diner have since recovered, Cristina Vargas faces a long and painful rehabilitation. The 81-year-old has been undergoing physical rehabilitation at a recovery center and is preparing to return home to her family.
A GoFundMe established for the family describes Cristina as a vibrant and social woman who loved dancing and regularly attended events at a senior center. The fundraiser notes that the sudden loss of her mobility has left her facing enormous medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and the need to make her home accessible for her new disability. The campaign set a $50,000 goal and had raised roughly $27,000 as of Sunday morning.
In an Aug. 17 update posted to the fundraiser, the family expressed gratitude to supporters while acknowledging the difficult road ahead.
“Thank you everybody for your love and support. We greatly appreciate it. It’s a slow recovery but day by day we’re getting through it,” the update read.
The family added that despite the pain, Cristina’s spirits have remained hopeful. “Recovery is very painful but she’s giving it her all.”
Despite having both legs amputated, Vargas has remained determined to keep moving forward as she continues her rehabilitation.
The Boyle Heights crash occurred on July 7 when an SUV barreled toward the outdoor dining area of Los Cinco Puntos, where Cristina Vargas, her daughter Gabriela, and a male friend were seated at a sidewalk table. Surveillance footage captured the vehicle smashing directly into the group, sending the table and debris flying. The allegedly impaired female driver was later arrested and charged with multiple felonies.
Cristina Vargas is preparing to return home from her recovery center to continue her rehabilitation with family.