The young boys’ family and friends filled a courtroom Wednesday to face prosecutors who say is the driver responsible, NBC 7’s Amber Frias reports.
It’s been a difficult few days for a Mountain View family who in a matter of seconds lost their two young boys, brothers Malakai, 8, and Mason, who was only 4 years old.
“I'm just torn up," said Karla Villa, the boy’s grandmother. “My life is not the same and it will not be the same after this. Even though I have my daughter, I just feel like it's not the same. I feel like in between, I’m alive and I’m dead.”
She says Malakai and Mason were on the way to the grocery store with their mom, Victoria, and their aunt when a car involved in a high-speed pursuit with police struck them.
What’s more heartbreaking is that Victoria, who suffers from lupus, had just been released from the hospital hours before.
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“She’s been having a really tough life,” said Villa. “It's been a battle. She's been making it through. Her kids were that support for her to be strong with this illness and now that they're gone, I don't know how she's going to get through all this.”
Malakai and Mason died on the way to the hospital while their aunt suffered minor injuries. Their mother is still in the hospital, unaware of the death of her kids.
“There are possibilities that she can be paralyzed,” said Villa. “We don't know the percentage of all that until the surgery is done.”
Local
The crash happened after police attempted to stop Angel Salgado, 20, for speeding in a residential area.
According to Deputy District Attorney Jessica Coto, the defendant failed to yield to police and initiated the pursuit. She says Salgado reached a speed of around 100 mph during the pursuit that spanned about five miles on surface streets and freeways.
At the 43rd Street off-ramp, Salgado rear-ended the car, sending it off an embankment and into a tree, where it went into flames.
Salgado then allegedly ran from the car and took off his clothes, trying to conceal his identity.
He was arrested a few blocks away in a residential neighborhood.
The prosecution also revealed Salgado rear-embed an elderly woman’s car during the pursuit. The extent of her injuries is unknown.
As for the boy’s family, they’re hopeful the legal system will help bring them closure.
“I don't know what's going to come but I just want justice for my grandkids,” said Villa. “That's what I am looking for: justice. I know nothing will return my kids and nothing will return the peace for my daughter, nothing will bring her her kids but I want justice.”
Salgado faces up to 39 years to life in prison if convicted of two murder counts, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit and run, felony evading, and driving without a license.
