The wife of Euless Police Det. Alejandro "Alex" Cervantes, who was hit and killed in a hit-and-run crash with a suspected drunk driver Saturday, is improving in the hospital, according to the Chief of the Euless Police Department.
Cervantes' wife has not yet regained consciousness since the crash, but her condition has been upgraded from critical to stable, according to Euless Chief Mike Brown. He said she is expected to make a full recovery.
The couple's two sons, who were in the car at the time of the crash, are both with family members, Brown said. They are aware that their father was killed.
Brown told reporters on Thursday that he will make sure the Cervantes' boys know exactly who their father was.
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"An old guy like me would like to have a son just like him. Just the kind of guy that came every day with a true heart for service for his fellow man, a person who I don’t think ever met a stranger, and if you were a stranger you weren’t for long," Brown said. "He would go out of his way to make sure that he knew you, connected with you on some level, just a great guy. If you were a kid you’re very fortunate to have a dad like him."
The crash happened at about 1:33 p.m. at the intersection of Boat Club Road and Rocky Point Trail in Lake Worth, Euless police said.
Police said the driver of a Jeep Wrangler, identified as 26-year-old Dylan Molina, ran a red light and struck a Chevy Impala driven by Cervantes. Brandon Williams works across the street at a car service shop and ran over as soon as he heard the loud crash.
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"My instinct was just to run. Run as I could to help them out," Williams said. "Run over there and help them out and do what I can. I was praying everyone was okay, and it just didn’t turn out that way."
Williams and his coworker Anthony Oeltjen said they were among the first on the scene before ambulances arrived.
"Me and Brandon went around the vehicle to the passenger side trying to rip the door open, trying to check on the mother," Oeltjen said. "Finally, we were pulling the doors so hard, we actually started bending the frame of it and a guy ran over with a window breaker, broke the glass out."
The entire situation hit close to home, Oeltjen added.
"Next day, I called my family and told them I loved them. It could have been anybody," he said.
Police said Molina was charged with intoxication manslaughter, accident involving death and three counts of intoxication assault. His bond was set Monday at $300,000.
Cervantes served the Euless Police Department for nearly seven years, prior to which he worked eight years for the El Paso Police Department. Euless police have set up a way for the community to help Cervantes' family financially through the Euless Police Department's Benevolent Organization.
Lt. Brenda Alvarado with the police said people can access the fundraiser by scanning a QR code or a link.
"It’s important for people to utilize the one that’s been set up by the police department because everything that goes into it goes directly to the family," Lt. Alvarado said. "There’s no fees taken off it, so every dollar they share with the family is going to go straight to them."
No decisions have been made about services and honors at this time, according to Chief Brown.
