An 81-year-old woman lost both legs after an allegedly intoxicated driver plowed into her and her daughter as they sat down to eat at a Los Angeles restaurant.
Cristina Vargas, 81, and her daughter, Gabriela Vargas, were having lunch with a friend at Los Cinco Puntos, a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, on July 7.
The group had just taken their seats around 3.20pm and were saying grace when a woman who was allegedly impaired came speeding down the street and crashed into their table, Gabriela told KTLA.
‘I was lifting up my head and I just saw headlights and a bumper and I heard a big boom,’ Gabriela recalled to the outlet.
Surveillance video captured the horrifying impact. In the footage, a white SUV barrels into the outdoor dining area at high speed, runs over the table where the three victims were seated, and then comes to an abrupt stop after slamming into the restaurant wall.
Gabriela, Cristina and their friend were all injured in the crash, but Cristina suffered the most devastating wounds.
Gabriela sustained a head injury and a deep cut to her knee. Her mother, however, became trapped beneath the vehicle, leaving her legs ‘just shredded,’ Gabriela told CBS News in July.
All those involved in the Los Angeles restaurant crash, including the driver, were taken to the hospital. After Cristina underwent three surgeries, doctors concluded that both of her legs would need to be amputated, according to a GoFundMe set up to help cover the family’s medical expenses.
Cristina’s injuries were the most severe, and she had to have her legs amputated after undergoing three surgeries. She is pictured recovering in the hospital
Cristina was pinned under the car after the crash and is still undergoing physical therapy. She, her daughter and their friend are pictured outside the restaurant moments before the crash
Cristina Vargas, 81, suffered devastating injuries to her legs after a car crashed into her while she was having lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles on July 7 with her daughter
Cristina screamed ‘My legs! My legs!’ in Spanish as she lay pinned under the vehicle immediately after the crash, her daughter told CBS.
But the allegedly intoxicated driver seemed completely unfazed when she got out of her vehicle, Gabriella said.
‘She wasn’t doing much of anything except asking for a lighter for her cigarette,’ the daughter told KTLA. ‘It was just unbelievable.’
Police have not released the identity of the driver but reported that she was arrested for driving under the influence and was facing several felony charges.
Since the crash, Gabriela and the male friend who was at the table have recovered and are out of the hospital. But Cristina is still undergoing physical therapy at a rehabilitation center.
Despite their serious injuries, the mother and daughter say their faith in God has not been shaken and that they are thankful to have survived the crash.
‘In retrospect, now that I think back, I was like, He was protecting us,’ Gabriela told KTLA. ‘Because she’s alive. The injuries that I suffered, they’re not as bad where I can still care for her.’
The daughter said her goal now is to provide the best care possible for her mom ‘until God actually calls her. Because He didn’t call her. It wasn’t her time.’
Cristina said she is thankful to be alive, and her daughter said God was protecting them because she is still able to take care of her mom
According to the family’s GoFundMe, Cristina was left particularly devastated by the loss of her legs because she loved to dance.
‘Her vivacious spirit and love for connecting with others made her a beloved member of the community. This sudden change is especially heartbreaking for someone who has always embraced life so fully and actively,’ the fundraiser page said.
