SAN ANTONIO — One local woman wants San Antonio police to be held accountable for the death of her mother during a police chase Friday.
India Watson, 47, was struck and killed by a patrol vehicle off South WW White Road near Mercury Drive.
Police were pursuing a teenager wanted for aggravated robbery. Rene Camarillo, 17, is now facing multiple charges, including murder for allegedly causing the crash that killed Watson.
Teriane Watson said her mother was just minutes away from their home when she was killed. She said she moved to San Antonio this month to be closer with her grandchildren.
“It still don’t sit right with me at all,” Teriane said. “I can’t get her back.”
Teriane said she was still in shock, trying to process what happened. She said she had last spoken with her mother hours before the incident.
“A bystander, someone who had nothing to do with what was going on, (her) life was taken,” she said. “It wasn’t taken because of natural causes or anything. She was crossing the street.”
San Antonio Police said Camarillo was suspected of stealing a woman’s purse and vehicle downtown earlier that night. They said he had a gun.
According to SAPD’s policy, police are able to begin a chase if the driver has committed, is committing or is about to commit a violent felony offense. It also states the emergency lights and sirens must be activated.
According to two witnesses who did not want to be identified, they saw the lights but did not hear the sirens.
“A vehicle should not be placed over a person’s life,” one witness said.
While the victim’s daughter is glad police were able to charge the teenager, she believes police should be charged as well.
“It wasn’t his fault why your feet was on the pedal and couldn’t hit the brakes or something so it wasn’t his fault for that, you know?” Teriane said.
Police said the officer involved was placed on administrative duty while two internal investigations take place. Those findings will then be turned over to the district attorney’s office for an independent review.
“They took our heart away,” Teriane said. “They took my mom.”
The family is planning on laying India Watson to rest in Louisiana, where she is from. She had three children and 12 grandchildren.
They are raising funds through a GoFundMe to help pay for travel expenses so the entire family can make it to the funeral.