Family calls for change and accountability after Daly City couple is killed by a suspected DUI driver
Family grieves Daly City couple killed by DUI suspect
The family of couple killed by a suspected DUI driver in Daly City on Sunday wants changes and accountability.
DALY CITY, Calif. - A Daly City family is grieving the sudden loss of a husband and wife who were killed in a violent crash over the weekend by a suspected drunk driver with a history of driving under the influence.
Augustin Garcia was driving and his wife Rhiannon Lawler was in the front passenger seat of their car when they were struck around 2:30 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of Flournoy Street and San Jose Avenue in Daly City.
The couple was returning home from visiting a friend when their gray sedan was T-boned by a white pickup truck, according to police and surveillance footage.
Devastated family demands accountability
What they're saying:
For the couple’s children and extended family, the shock of losing two central figures at once has given way to immense grief and frustration over a tragedy they say was entirely preventable.
"They were two amazing people," said Cassandra Garcia, the couple's daughter. "I couldn't imagine one without the other."
Family members describe Garcia and Lawler as the foundation of their home, always putting their children and community first.
Together, they raised a blended family of eight children, the youngest of whom is just 8 years old.
"They were both there for me, my mom and my stepfather," said Jerome Nava, the victims' son. "They mean everything to me."
The family's grief is compounded by the revelation that the suspected driver – 28-year-old Alvaro Fabian Caballero Arteaga – should not have been on the road. He allegedly had a blood-alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit and was driving with a suspended license following a February misdemeanor DUI arrest in Alameda County.
"Mostly shock at first, then the grief and the loss, and then a bit of bitterness and anger because it could have been avoided," said Jason Nava, the victims' brother and brother-in-law.
Cassandra Garcia echoed those feelings: "Anger… knowing that he had a prior DUI. Even if he had his license revoked, what could anyone have done to stop him from driving?"
Safety concerns and legal action
What's next:
Family members gathered Sunday evening for a candlelit vigil at the intersection where the crash occurred.
While honoring the couple's memory, relatives noted that the intersection of Flournoy Street and San Jose Avenue has long been dangerous, observing multiple drivers running red lights during their gathering.
They are calling on Daly City officials to implement street safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.
"I need to personally feel like something's going to change because something did happen," Jerome Nava said. "Something did change for us. We took not one loss, but two big losses."
Caballero Arteaga remains in custody without bail as he awaits his Oct. 15 court appearance.
What you can do:
Rhiannon's brother has set up an online fundraiser to help with funeral expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-rhiannon-lawlers-family
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Reach Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com, text/leave a message at 510-599-3922, or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @AmberKTVU.Tiktok @amberleenews.
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with the victims' family members and from San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe