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Witnesses take the stand

Defendant drove erratically, too fast, other drivers say

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  • Leslie Wilber •
  • Originally published January 20, 2009 at 11:33 p.m., updated January 20, 2009 at 11:33 p.m.

A blue truck sped and wove south on Delmar Drive moments before it was involved in a June 2007 fatal wreck, witnesses said Tuesday.

The driver of the truck, Bryan K. Brown, is on trial for intoxicated manslaughter. The second week of the trial began Tuesday.

Vanessa Jasso, 24, the driver of the other truck, died at the scene of the June 7 wreck. One passenger in her truck, Rudy Flores, 52, was also killed and her son, 6-year-old Jacob Amezquita, was seriously injured.

Jerry Robinson was driving south on Delmar Drive when Brown's truck rushed past, he said.

"I said, 'That idiot, or fool or something like that, is about to kill somebody,'" Robinson said. A few blocks later, he and his wife, Irene, saw the fresh wreck. Dust covered the area, he said.

Robinson stopped to see if the people in Jasso's car were injured.

"Obviously, the people were hurt badly," he said.

Brown passed Vivian Potter's car seconds before the crash, she said. She guessed he was driving 60 mph. Ahead, she saw Jasso's truck stopped at the intersection, which had stop signs in all four directions.

"I started just constantly honking my horn," she said, trying to alert Brown to the upcoming stop sign.

"The next thing I saw was the blue truck slamming into the red and white truck on the driver's side," she said.

Potter tried to talk to Jasso, Flores and Jacob, but they didn't respond.

Citizens Medical Center emergency room doctor John McNeil described Jacob's injuries.

The boy's skull separated from his spinal column, McNeil said. The condition is called internal decapitation.

"I have never seen a patient survive this injury except this child," McNeil said. Wearing a seatbelt likely would not have prevented the injury.

Jacob appeared briefly in court Tuesday, spending more time chatting with District Judge Robert Cheshire than testifying.

He told prosecutor Eli Garza he knew he was in an accident, but did not remember it.

  • WHAT'S NEXT:

    Prosecutors will present their final witness, a doctor from the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Closing arguments are expected to conclude Wednesday.



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Comments

  • HansCholo HansCholo Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I actually had the privilege of meeting young Jacob last week while he was with his grandparents. He appears to be a sweet, young boy. My heart really goes out to Jacob and his family. If you guys get the chance, take a minute, and say a prayer. Rarely do I speak like this (I am mostly too outspoken and my comments get rejected by those whose feelings I hurt) but after meeting Jacob, I can only say it has confirmed my personal convictions on those who drink and drive. I pray justice comes to Brown and his a** hangs for this!!!!!

    January 20, 2009 at 9:49 p.m.