Dallas

8-Year-Old Boy Dies From Drunk Driver Who Had Prior Convictions

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An 8-year-old boy who rode his scooter inside the parking lot of a Far East Dallas apartment complex died Monday night after he was struck by a drunken driver, police say.

It happened about 7:10 p.m. on Monday on the 3600 block of Dilido Road. Police said the driver of a blue 1992 Chevrolet pickup truck crashed into the child.

"You just heard a loud bang and a ‘crack.' Just a loud 'bang' and kids screaming," said Lamartha Nash, who lives at the apartment complex and is close friends with the child's family. "My son was playing with him, he was just screaming, telling his friend to get up, and trying to help him.”

Nash said they were playing outside on the street, which turns into a dead end.

“I guess he [the driver] didn’t see him? But they were saying like he was drunk or had alcohol on his breath," described Nash. "They couldn’t get him [the child] breathing here, his mom and my dad did CPR on him, they put a tube in him on the way to Children's, but didn't make it when he got there."

Kaden Rainwater, 8, attended S.S. Conner Elementary School. Annisa Ward, a teacher's assistant at the school, praised Rainwater's good behavior and work ethic.

"He was strong. He was a strong worker," she said. "He always let me know he wanted to go to after-school programs to be with the coach. He's one of our good attendance students."

She went to the apartment to send her condolences and view the memorial set up for Rainwater.

"It’s very hurtful, it’s very hurtful," said Ward about the passing of her student. "I’m just looking at the scenery and I’m just appalled. I can’t believe it, like what were you doing? How could you? It’s just one turn in, there’s nowhere else to go."

Police said the driver, 30-year-old Miguel Martinez, stayed at the scene but was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The arrest warrant stated Martinez was at the apartment complex to drop off a young child who was in the car with him.

Police documented that Martinez said that he had two Modelos between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. but investigators state that Martinez had glassy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol from his breath every time he spoke.

After a DWI investigation, Martinez was arrested and charged with murder and DWI of two or more previous convictions. His bond totaled $600,000.

In 2012 and 2015 court records showed he was convicted on two counts of driving while intoxicated and served a couple of months for each. In 2016, he was arrested after a car crash and served two years behind bars for DWI.

He also had several other charges on his criminal record.

Rainwater's mother declined to speak on Tuesday, but Nash said they plan to host a vigil at S.S. Conner Elementary School on Saturday for the 8-year-old.

They're asking people to bring red and green candles. Red, because that was his favorite color, and green, because he was born on St. Patrick's Day.

The family set up a GoFundMe account.

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