A former Amazon delivery driver was found not guilty in the death of 84-year-old Telesfora Escamilla on Thursday, and the woman’s family is devastated at what they call an “awful outcome.”
On the day of the incident in Dec. 2016, 29-year-old Valdimar Gray was driving westbound on 28th Street when his vehicle struck Escamilla, who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk.
Witnesses claimed that Gray did not stop his vehicle long enough at the intersection before hitting the woman, but a judge disagreed, acquitting the former Amazon driver in the woman’s death.
“Justice was not served today at all,” Escamilla’s daughter Gloria said. “I think everybody in the public realizes that. This shouldn’t have happened the way it did.”
Gray’s attorney Adam Sheppard said that his client did stop at the intersection, had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the collision, and was cooperative with police in statements presented to the court.
“He’s a terrific kid,” Sheppard said. “I said it from the get-go, and the judge (agreed). (It was) a tragic accident, and there was no criminal activity by Mr. Gray.”
Gray didn’t speak to media as he left the courtroom.
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“He’s cognizant of a saddened family,” Sheppard said. “This is not a cocky young man. Everybody is saddened by what occurred.”
As for Escamilla’s family, they reacted with anger and sadness to the judge’s decision, saying that they felt justice hadn’t been done in the case.
“The negligence of this driver…recklessly killed my mother,” Gloria Escamilla said.
