Family of 22-Year-Old Dallas Driver Killed in Hit-and-Run Asks for Public Help
A Ford SUV hit a Chevrolet Camaro at high speed on October 31, leaving the driver dead and the SUV driver at large.
By Giulia Donovan ·
One person died in a high-speed collision at 1:28 a.m. on October 31 that sent a car into a construction fence in Dallas. The victim, 22-year-old Jacob Gonzalez, was the sole occupant of a Chevrolet Camaro traveling southbound on South Buckner Boulevard. A Ford SUV moving westbound on Elam Road ran a red light and struck the Camaro with such force that the car left the roadway and smashed into a fence surrounding a construction site.
Paramedics from Dallas Fire-Rescue transported Gonzalez to a local hospital, where he died shortly after arrival. The Dallas County Medical Examiner later confirmed his identity. The driver of the Ford SUV fled the scene on foot before police officers arrived at the intersection of Elam Road and South Buckner Boulevard.
Investigators from the Dallas Police Department Vehicular Crimes Unit took over the scene and closed the intersection for several hours. Officers collected physical evidence and reviewed surveillance footage from the surrounding area to identify the person behind the wheel of the SUV. As of November 4, police have not named the driver, and the investigation remains open.
Gonzalez’s family learned of his death only after a bystander found his insurance card near the crash site. The witness drove to the family's home to deliver the news. Marggie Cabello, Gonzalez’s aunt, said the family spent hours trying to locate their relative at the hospital because they did not have his name. She credited the bystander with preventing the family from assuming Gonzalez was missing.
Jacqueline Gonzalez, Jacob’s sister, described the moment her brother tried to call his sister to find out where he was that weekend. "My heart just sank," she said. The family says Gonzalez was "just special" and is now pleading with the public to provide information that could identify the SUV driver.
"If it is their family member, if it is, please help this family, help us," Jacqueline Gonzalez said. "I know it's hard to turn in your family member or your loved one, but we need closure. We need that person or people not to be destroying other families."
The Gonzalez family has launched a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of funeral, burial, and memorial arrangements. Police continue to review footage and gather evidence as they work to identify the person who fled the scene on foot.
