Longtime DPS worker died protecting her own
Troopers loved mother figure for keeping them in line
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SERVICES FOR ROMANO
The funeral Mass for Brenda Romano will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Family Catholic Church, with the Rev. Greg Korenek officiating. A funeral procession will leave Colonial Funeral Home at 1 p.m. Wednesday, en route ...
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SERVICES FOR ROMANO
The funeral Mass for Brenda Romano will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Family Catholic Church, with the Rev. Greg Korenek officiating. A funeral procession will leave Colonial Funeral Home at 1 p.m. Wednesday, en route to the church.
The family will hold a private graveside service at Oak Grove Cemetery in Yoakum.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the local DPS Dare Fund, in care of Christi Romano Opiela.
Glen Garrett, a Texas Highway Patrol lieutenant in Victoria, worked with Brenda Romano for 14 years.
So while he was shocked to hear that Romano died while trying to protect her daughter and grandchildren in Houston, Garrett was not surprised she took the action she did.
"For her to protect her daughter and stand up for others was not out of character for her," Garrett said.
Romano began as a dispatcher in the DPS office before taking over the motor vehicle inspection program.
Romano, 56, and her husband Richard Romano recently moved to Yoakum from Victoria, where they planned to retire.
She had gone to Houston on a shopping trip with two granddaughters and a daughter who lives in Houston.
Romano was walking out of a clothing store at the Meyerland Plaza Mall Saturday when she saw a man in a Range Rover hit her daughter's pickup as he backed out of a parking space, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle. She confronted the man about the fender bender, then stood behind the Range Rover as he tried to get away.
Instead of stopping, he backed into her, pinning her against the pickup. When he pulled away, she fell to the pavement with severe abdominal injuries. Paramedics took her to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, where she died, according to a Houston Police Department news release.
Romano's daughter, Robyn Romano, 33, suffered a broken leg.
George Theobald, 39, of Houston, was later arrested in a north Houston motel and charged with murder and assault. Theobald gave investigators a statement, admitting to his role in the incident, according to the news release.
Theobald has a lengthy criminal history dating back to a 1987 burglary conviction and followed by repeated convictions for theft, forgery and assault. Most recently, he pleaded guilty to theft in July and was sentenced to seven months in state jail, according to the Chronicle.
Romano, a 17-year veteran of the DPS Office in Victoria, was loved by her co-workers, Garrett said.
"She was a mother figure to everyone here," he said. "A lot of new troopers come through here, right out of school. She kept them in line and they love her for that."
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The Houston news said that she was pushing her daughter out of the way when she was hit. Anyone decent parent would put themselves in front of their children, grown or not. Could this have been avoided? Who knows, obviously the guy was out of control. It is a horrible tragedy!
November 18, 2009 at 8:32 p.m.what i dont understand is why did she just get his license plate number instead of getting behind the vehicle. She should have gotten the number and called police.That would have avoided her getting run down in front of her daughter and grandchildren.What he did was wrong but it could have been avoided.
November 18, 2009 at 3:02 p.m.How terrible! That is sooo sad.....What is wrong with people????!!!!???? How traumatic for her daughter & granddaughters to witness their mother/grandmothers senseless murder over something so stupid! My thoughts are with the family!
November 17, 2009 at 7:36 p.m.This is sad. But, I am grateful they got the person who caused all of this. A lot of them get away. One more idiotic sorry loser off the streets. At least for now. I hope the Romano family are able to find peace and streghth within your mothers memory. May God Bless all of the Romano family.
November 17, 2009 at 7:09 p.m.