SAN ANTONIO – For Denise Martinez, walking is now a painful reminder of how drastically her life changed six months ago.
On April 14, Martinez, 51, was driving with her son in her recently purchased Ford Explorer through the intersection of North New Braunfels Avenue and Dawson Street.
There, at the East Side intersection, a San Antonio Police Department civilian crime scene investigator pulled into her path in a city vehicle.
The collision, which Martinez describes as a “dead impact,” damaged her SUV and injured both her and her son.
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A crash report, which identified the SAPD civilian employee as Madison Guerra, also noted that a stop sign on Dawson Street at the intersection was missing at the time of the crash.
A city spokesperson confirmed Guerra was not disciplined after the crash because it was determined to be non-preventable.
A spokesperson for San Antonio’s Public Works Department confirmed the stop sign was replaced after the crash. However, they did not respond to a question from KSAT Investigates about why it was missing at the time of the accident.
‘It’s destroyed my life’
Guerra told officers she was “easing out” of Dawson Street because a nearby Little Caesars blocked her view, the crash report stated.
The wreck left the Ford Explorer undriveable, according to Martinez. She said she used the vehicle for work and to attend training sessions to become an insurance agent.
The passenger side of Martinez’s SUV suffered significant damage. (KSAT)
After her SUV was totaled, Martinez said she could not commute to work or finish her classes.
“I couldn’t pay the rent on my home,” Martinez said. “I couldn’t pay the bills on my home.”
Early last month, Martinez was forced to mover her family out of their Northwest Side rental property, records provided by Martinez indicate.
“It’s destroyed my life,” said Martinez, who has difficulty walking and sleeping following the crash.
Doctor recommends lower back surgery for Martinez
Medical records reviewed by KSAT Investigates show Martinez suffered four ruptured or displaced discs, compressed nerve roots and diminished function in her neck and lower back. Her doctors have recommended lumbar surgery.
Martinez said her vehicle was hit by a drunk driver in a previous unrelated crash and that she was already experiencing some back discomfort.
Martinez hired an attorney and filed a damage claim with the city’s Office of Risk Management. Six months later, that damage claim is still open.
The city declined to comment on the pending case and has asked the State Attorney General’s Office to block the release of records related to Martinez’s claim.
The April 14 crash occurred in the intersection of N. New Braunfels and Dawson Street. (KSAT)
Martinez said the delay has left her trapped — unable to work or move forward.
During an interview with KSAT, she made a public plea for the city to pay out a settlement, so she can cover her portion of the cost for surgery and have enough funds to recuperate until she can return to work full-time.
“Every attorney I’ve talked to has told me, ‘Good luck. The city takes their time. They do not care,’” Martinez said. “If you get a traffic ticket or if you get a driving violation, they’re very quick to ‘pay the fees or you’re going to jail.’ But, they do this to someone’s life, and they sit on it. It’s not fair. It’s very unfair.”
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
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