Keller middle schooler in critical condition after being hit by alleged drunken driver
KELLER, Texas - A Keller middle schooler is in critical condition after she was hit by a suspected drunken driver while crossing the street on Thursday.
The Indian Springs Middle School student was struck by a pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed while she was jogging across Bear Creek Parkway just before 6:30 p.m.
Police arrived at the scene to find 14-year-old Nina Alvarez unconscious in the roadway. The teenager was on a familiar road in her neighborhood when she was struck.
Nina Alvarez (Source: GoFundMe)
Alvarez was taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Grapevine. She remains in critical, but stable condition.
Her family is by her side as she’s in the ICU with two broken femurs, a shattered knee, broken hip, and bleeding in the brain.
"She is my baby. I got three boys. My daughter is the youngest," the victim’s father, Leonardo Alvarez, said. "We are alone here in this country. We are immigrants, legal immigrants. I am a U.S. citizen. I am Cuban. My family is from Mexico."
He received a call from his wife Thursday evening that his daughter was being rushed to the ER.
The father works as a truck driver and was near Lubbock when he had to quickly turn around.
"I tried to stay as calm as possible because there was nothing I could do at that time but support my wife," he recalled.
The driver of the truck, 67-year-old Michael Mango, remained at the scene.
Michael Mango (Source: Keller Police)
Keller police said Mango, of Ferris, was speeding down Bear Creek Parkway in his pickup truck.
Investigators told FOX 4 that Mango failed to stop at the crosswalk and struck the teenager.
Based on his statements with officers and a field sobriety test, Mango was arrested and charged with intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
Skid marks and spray paint were still visible from the crash site Friday, just a few blocks away from the family’s home.
The 14-year-old is left with multiple broken bones.
"She got both femurs broken, one knee broken, one foot broken, and then next week, we are going to have to go into surgery to reconstruct the whole pelvis and hip," the teen’s father said.
Plus, she had bleeding in her brain.
The 8th grader at Indian Springs Middle School has a passion for running.
In fact, Alvarez said his daughter was training to join Keller High School’s cross country team next year, a dream that’s now unpredictable.
"In a way, she is like an angel for us. My kids, they are here to support," he added. "We need all the support that we can get from anybody. As little as whatever, it doesn’t matter, just a prayer is enough for us."
Nina is out of surgery for the evening, but she has another one set for next week.
Friday afternoon, Mango was transferred from the Keller Detention Facility to the Tarrant County Jail, where he remains.
Keller ISD said that a counseling team was on the school's campus on Friday to provide support to any students needing to talk about the news.