Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 31
Cristina Vargas, 81, Loses Both Legs After SUV Slams Into LA Restaurant
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 31

Cristina Vargas, 81, Loses Both Legs After SUV Slams Into LA Restaurant

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 31

Summary

  • Three surgeries left 81-year-old Cristina Vargas with both legs amputated after an SUV struck the outdoor dining area where she was eating in Boyle Heights on July 7.
  • Police allege the female driver was impaired when the vehicle veered onto the sidewalk around 3:30 p.m., pinning Vargas under it and injuring her daughter Gabriela Vargas and a male friend.
  • Gabriela suffered a head injury and deep knee laceration, while the friend also was hospitalized; both have since recovered, but Cristina remains in rehabilitation and is preparing to return home.
  • More than $30,000 has been raised on GoFundMe to help cover massive medical bills, ongoing therapy, home accessibility changes and specialized care as the driver faces multiple felony charges.

Insights

Could the impaired driver’s hidden past reveal why this tragic outdoor dining collision was preventable?
As vehicles repeatedly strike outdoor eateries, are city planners failing to protect vulnerable sidewalk diners?
Will a known dangerous intersection finally get the barriers needed to stop devastating sidewalk crashes?