The family of four people killed in a July 2023 collision is suing the now-paralyzed Edinburg man accused of driving drunk and causing the crash.
Sheng Li Jiang, who was 46 at the time, is accused of killing Edinburg residents Luz Aurora Casados, 50, Maria Guadalupe Zavala Casados, 68, and Ellieana Santoy, 2, of San Juan, on Monday, July 24, 2023.
Initially, the fourth victim, Shailey Rachel Martinez, 10, of Edinburg was in critical condition until she died from her injuries later that week, the city of Edinburg said previously.
According to the lawsuit, Jiang was drinking at Surfing Crab, located at 421 E. Nolana Ave. in McAllen, with a friend who is part owner of the restaurant.
“Defendant Jiang, upon information and belief, has a history of alcohol abuse,” the lawsuit states. “Defendant Jaing was served alcohol past the point of intoxication at Surfing Crab McAllen.”
The lawsuit also accuses Surfing Crab of negligence for continuing to serve Jiang alcohol despite showing clear signs of intoxication.
Jiang then left the restaurant around 9 p.m. that night.
Meanwhile, at about 9:14 p.m., Luz Aurora Casados was traveling southbound around the 1900 block of south Jackson Road in Edinburg in a minivan occupied by Maria Guadalupe Zavala Casados, her great-granddaughter Shailey Rachel Martinez and Ellieana Santoy, according to the lawsuit.
Jiang was heading north and failed to stay in his lane and crashed head-on with Luz Aurora Casados.
The lawsuit states the two women and the 2-year-old died at the scene while Shailey Rachel Martinez was rushed to the Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance, but never regained consciousness.
Jiang was charged with four counts of intoxication manslaughter, but has yet to be formally arrested.
Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio “Terry” Palacios said Thursday that Jiang is bedridden due to being paralyzed, living in a nursing home and has to attend multiple medical appointments.
He added that if he were under police custody, the county would then need to be responsible for his medical expenses and taking him between the home and his appointments.
“If we incarcerate him, we’re going to have to take him back and forth for treatment and we don’t have the facility nor do we want to spend too much of the taxpayer’s money for that,” Palacios said.
According to the DA, a doctor has yet to give Jiang a medical release because he’s still undergoing treatment.
When asked when the case would head to a grand jury, Palacios said that they’re going to attempt to make it a “no arrest” grand jury, but added that it would be “putting the cart before the horse.”
Palacios described the situation as a Catch-22.
If Jiang were to get indicted, he would have to appear in court despite being bedridden and Hidalgo County would become responsible for his transportation and medical bills, but would answer the victim’s family’s calls to formally arrest him.
Currently, Jiang’s family is taking care of his medical needs, Palacios said.
Palacios also revealed that Jian wasn’t expected to recover and wondered how one would take a bedridden defendant to court.
“That’s the biggest issue we have,” Palacios said. “Initially, we didn’t think this guy was going to survive, so that’s why there was no arrest.”
He added that had they known Jiang would recover, they’d have him under 24/7 police surveillance for the last year.
For now, they’re checking up on Jiang’s status and monitoring his progress once a week or so.
“Hopefully he’ll get to a point where we can actually get him into court, so we can prosecute him,” Palacios said. “We definitely need to prosecute this case, but, at this point, we’re not there.
“I know the family feels bad and they feel that there’s no justice … and that’s something we can’t control at this point.”
Palacios concluded by saying that as soon as he gets that medical release, Jiang will be indicted, sent to court and face the consequences if found guilty.
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Drunk driver blamed for Edinburg crash killing three generations of a local family
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