Driver accused of killing tow truck owner said he was too scared to render aid

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The driver charged in connection to the death of a tow truck driver in Harlingen said the reason he did not stop to render aid was because he was scared, documents indicate.

Cristobal Stephan Garzez, 28, was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle ($350,000 bond), failure to stop and render aid during a collision that involved death ($350,000), and possession of a controlled substance ($25,000).

His total bond is set at $725,000.

A probable cause affidavit obtained by ValleyCentral revealed details into the day of the crash. On Tuesday, just after 5 p.m. a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck rammed into the back of a tow truck, subsequently killing David Zapata.

Zapata was hitching a vehicle onto his tow truck on the side of the expressway. He was standing behind the tow truck at the time that he was struck by Garzez.

After the incident, Garzez did not pull over to render aid to Zapata, documents allege. Instead, he kept driving with blood splatter covering his vehicle from the front passenger door to the end of the truck bed.

Garzez was found on West Frontage Road, North of Beddos Road shortly after the fatal crash.

Troopers found a white-powdery substance his truck. When authorities spoke with Garzez about the incident and asked why he did not stop, he replied that he was scared.

A Field Sobriety Test was conducted on Garzez at the time of his arrest due to indications that he may have been under the influence of drugs, authorities said. They did not believe he had been drinking but his eyes appeared to show constricted pupils.

"Garzez was eager to provide a breath sample [but] was hesitant to provide a blood sample," the affidavit read.

He remains jailed. Once released on his $725,000 bond, Garzez will be required to wear a tracker on his person and must install an ignition interlock into his vehicle within 15 days of posting bond.