Crash victims on drunk driver: ‘He needs to pay for what he's done'

A woman and her daughter who survived a crash in Forest Hill in 2015 that killed their aunt and uncle say they want a tougher sentence for the suspected drunk driver who hit them. They believe a plea bargain is not what they want.

Carrie Hoskins has been in a wheelchair since the crash last November.

“This guy was flying through the neighborhood, pardon my language, like a bat out of hell,” said Hoskins. “We never saw it coming."

Jose Salinas-Gomez was driving the SUV that hit Hoskins' car. He's charged with driving drunk and killing two people and injuring two others.

Hoskins is speaking out because she's not pleased that Salinas-Gomez will be offered a plea bargain next month.

“He's getting a plea deal where he gets 10 years,” said Hoskins.

The range of punishment is 2 to 20. Hoskins says she's especially not pleased that Salinas-Gomez could get probation after a few months, although that is not part of the plea agreement.

"He needs to answer for what he's done,” said Hoskins. “He's devastated our lives."

Hoskins and her daughter were taking her uncle, 76-year-old George Moon, to the hospital. His 63-year-old wife, Gayle, was also in the car. Both were killed. Hoskins and her daughter were seriously injured.

The plea bargain will go before a judge next month. The district attorney's office and the attorney for Salinas-Gomez can't publicly talk about the agreement. Hoskins says she'll continue speaking out.

“That's not even bringing up that he almost killed my daughter along with me,” said Hoskins. “I'm just focusing strictly on my aunt and uncle right now because they're gone.”

The Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization does support the plea bargain that's on the table. People familiar with it believe it is not a light sentence.

Hoskins says it does not change her disapproval and believes Salinas-Gomez could be out of jail in months, not years.