UPDATE: 3-month old Burien infant killed in I-5 crash near Vancouver; Memorial fund set up for services
Tue, 08/23/2011
Update for Aug. 25
A memorial fund for Gabriel Arthur Pena, the three-month-old infant killed in a car wreck involving an alleged drunk driver on Aug. 21 near Vancouver.
According to the Facebook page detailing the fund, "Donations may be made at any BECU or it's Shared Branches in the name of Gabriel Arthur Pena acct: 3588117470. https://www.becu.org/Default.aspx Go to the page to find locations."
The page continues, "Imagine trying to come to grips with losing your 3 month old baby boy to a Drunk Driver, then being hit with the fact that you can't come up with the money that it takes to bury your baby. I can't imagine what that must feel like, so I am asking all my Friends and Classmates, to find it in your heart to please help us raise enough money to put Gabriel to rest, I'm not asking for a huge donation only whatever you can afford to give, any amount is one step closer....even if it's to pass this on to other friends.... Please help out fellow our fellow Classmate William T. Piña and his daughter Terra."
Funeral services for Gabriel, according to the memorial page, are as follows:
Viewing will be held at Price-Helton Funeral Home
702 Auburn Way North, Auburn, WA 98002 | 253-833-1165
DATE: 8/26/11
TIME: 10 a.m. until 12:15
Procession to Mountian View Cemetery
2020 Mountian View Drive
Auburn, WA 98001
Graveside services will be held at 1:00
*** Everyone is Welcome****
There will be a Church Service on Sunday, Aug. 28, at 6 p.m.
Location: Covington Christian Fellowship
26201 180th Avenue SE, Covington, WA 98042
Directions:
From SE 272nd, head north on SE Wax Rd/180th.
Continue north for 0.7 miles, continuing straight through traffic circle. Turn left onto the church property at the traffic lights.
Original post on Aug. 23
The Columbian reports 26-year-old Christopher Roman from Beaverton, Ore. is behind bars with a $200,000 bail, charged with drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter after causing a Sunday crash that killed 3-month old Burien infant Gabriel Arthur Pena.
According to The Columbian, the infant’s parents, 21-year-old Terra Pina and 23-year-old Angel Pena (different spellings) were in the car and sustained injuries, but have recovered.
The Columbian reports:
Deputy Prosecutor Mike Dodds, in requesting the bail amount, told the judge that Roman was intoxicated and driving at a high speed when he lost control of his Acura and hit another Acura on the side of Interstate 5. Roman’s Acura first hit a median barrier before striking the disabled car.
The crash occurred at about 9:30 p.m. in a northbound lane near the Main Street exit (on Sunday, Aug. 21).
The baby’s parents, Terra Pina, 21, and Angel Pena, 23, (authorities said their names are spelled differently) were stopped on the left shoulder to fix a flat tire, Dodds said. The infant, Gabriel, was inside the disabled car. He died at the scene, according to the Washington State Patrol.
KATU-TV reported that the family was driving back from a camping trip when the crash occurred.
Dodds said prior to the crash Roman was seen passing cars and swerving all over the road.