SAN ANTONIO — A young girl is in in critical condition after being thrown out of a car during a crash on the southeast side of town.
The crash happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday on I-37 and Southeast Military Drive.
Police say George Gino Gomez, the 18-year-old driver she was was traveling with, veered off the highway and into the grass, hitting the fence line of City Base Vista Apartments and rolling the vehicle over. Officers say the driver of the Mitsubishi lost control while racing another vehicle on the highway.
The young girl was ejected through some barbed wire and landed on an SUV parked in the lot.
Audrey Robles, who lives at the apartment complex, rushed outside when she heard the crash.
"Me and my son ran outside and that’s when I saw a little girl’s body right here next to my vehicle in a fetal position right here and realized she flew out from a car accident," Robles said.
Robles realized the girl had slammed into her parked car based on the dent. She wasted no time caring for the girl while on the phone with dispatch until EMS arrived on scene.
Her injuries were life threatening while the driver was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
“I called 911 right away made sure she was breathing," Robles said. “They asked me to move her arm, make it straight and I guess it helped the air passage and then she gasped for air right at that moment when I had straightened her arm out.”
Robles observed Gomez searching for his phone amid the wreckage. Robles said Gomez also prayed for the injured girl he identified as his sister.
“He was wanting me to get help for his sister. He got on his knees and started praying for his sister because he didn’t know what else to do," Gomez said.
The 12-year-old girl was rushed to University Hospital and the driver stayed with police. Authorities say the girl was in critical but stable condition.
Police arrested Gomez on one count of Racing on Highway Causing Serious Bodily Injury.
Meanwhile, Robles can't imagine why anyone would risk others people's safety by racing on the interstate.
“To what gain is it when other people’s lives are at hand? Hopefully lessons are learned," Robles said.
Officers did tell us neither of the passengers were wearing their seatbelt.
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