East Bay mother whose son was killed by suspected drunk driver takes action
East Bay mother of teen killed by suspected DUI driver takes action to keep him behind bars
An East Bay mother turns her grief into action. Her 16-year-old son was struck and killed by a suspected DUI driver in Richmond on July 15. The judge has set a bail hearing for Oct. 15 to decide if the suspect's bail should be lowered from $1.1 million. The victim's mother has started a petition to gather signatures to show the judge she has the community's support in not wanting the suspect back on the streets.
RICHMOND, Calif. - An East Bay mother whose teenage son was killed by a suspected drunk driver is fighting for justice.
Martha Barajas wants the man who struck and killed her son in Richmond to be kept behind bars.
She set up a memorial at the crash scene and tables to gather signatures for a petition.
A bail hearing is scheduled for next month, and Barajas wants the judge to know she has the community's support.
She said in just 90 minutes on Friday evening, she gathered 85 signatures.
Barajas thanked the people who came to support her.
Her son, 16-year-old son Ricky Funes Barajas, was killed along busy Ohio Avenue by suspected drunk driver Alexi Alexander Pineda Ticas two months ago.
"There are definitely ups and downs. Not a day goes by that I don't drop a tear for my son. We miss him so much," said Barajas.
On July 30 shortly after midnight, Barajas says the 30-year-old suspect was speeding in his blue car when he crashed into her son's black Mustang as he was pulling out of a parking space in front of a relative's home.
The teen died at the scene. The suspect faces multiple charges including murder and is being held behind bars.
Now, Barajas has started a petition to gather signatures to ask the judge not to lower the suspect's $1.1 million bail at a hearing scheduled for Oct. 15.
"Why does the drunk driver get a chance to go home with a bail reduction? Where's justice there? My son didn't get a chance. He shouldn't get a chance to go home either," said Barajas.
Murder charges for Richmond man in DUI that killed 16-year-old
A man is facing murder charges after a DUI crash resulted in the death of a Richmond teenager last week, according to officials.
KTVU contacted the suspect's attorney, Francisco Vera, but he did not respond.
Barajas shared a video of Ricky playing junior varsity basketball for Leadership High School, where he would have been in 11th grade.
She said her son had been excited about making it onto the varsity team this year.
Ricky's cousin Vanessa Duran showed KTVU a video she took of Ricky being with his cousins a half hour before he was killed.
"I used to not be able to look at his face in pictures because it made my heart hurt," said Duran. "I think about my cousin every day. There's not a day that goes by when I don't think about him."
Barajas says she's grateful for the support she's received from the community.
"On behalf of my son, my family, for those who continued to support us, thank you. We hope we gather a lot of signatures that will make a difference."
She and other family members plan to be at the crash site again on Sunday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to gather more signatures for the petition, on Ohio Avenue at South 20th Street in Richmond.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU