AHWATUKEE, AZ — Officials say a mother, father, and child were killed in a high-speed crash with a drunk driver along Loop 202 South Mountainover the weekend.
"He was a family man. He loved his son," said Luz Salcido, Juan Gaspar's younger sister.
Juan and his wife Selma were both excellent at their jobs and dedicated parents to their son, Carlos, who they called Carlitos.
Their only boy, who just turned 12 years old, was born with Diastrophic Dysplasia. He required more care growing up but overcame so many challenges with his parents' support.
"They gave him the most normal life that he could have," said a neighbor, Gabriella Sosa. "You could tell he was a happy kid."
"They always had him out front in a little motorized car, flying through the rocks and down the sidewalk," said another neighbor, Fred Roll.
Luz Salcido delighted in her nephew.
"You met Carlitos, you would fall in love with him. He was the light of any room," said Salcido.
According to court documents, Ariyan Guy, 23, was speeding on the freeway near 40th Street when he struck a Chevrolet Suburban, causing it to roll multiple times.
Officials say five of six people in the Suburban were ejected during the crash. Three of them, Juan Carlos Gaspar, 45, Selma Gaspar, 45, and Carlos Gaspar, 12, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Three others in the victim vehicle suffered life-threatening injuries.
Responding troopers found Guy in the driver’s seat of his vehicle and smelled alcohol on his breath.
Paperwork says multiple open containers of alcohol were found in the vehicle and Guy admitted to drinking them while he was driving.
Documents state Guy had a child passenger in his vehicle as well, who was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
He was booked into jail on multiple charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault.
The family knows justice will come one day, but for now, the grief is all-encompassing.
"I’m going to miss him hugging me and him telling me he loves me," said Salcido.
Selma's employer, Arcadia Management sent ABC15 the following statement:
"Selma worked with our company for the past 6 years, first as an assistant property manager and then as a property manager, a role she was quickly promoted to based on her outstanding attention to detail, responsiveness and caring nature. As a co-worker and a manager, Selma was a bright light -- intelligent, loving, responsible, kind and always fun to be around. She was very well respected and loved by many...She was so loved by her Arcadia family and will be forever missed."
Paseo Pointe Elementary in the Laveen School District had counselors available for students Monday, and told ABC15:
"Carlos previously attended Desert Meadows School and was known throughout the Laveen School District. As a kindergartner, he was the recipient of the Arizona Council for Exceptional Children’s I Can Do It Award for excelling in academics despite his disabilities."
A GoFundMe has been set up to help family with funeral costs if anyone feels inclined to donate.
