GARLAND, Texas — A local mother in Garland just lost her daughter to someone who police say, was a drunk driver.
Rosario Saenz said her 25-year-old daughter, Leslie Mandujano, had so many dreams. She said she is now motivated to send out a warning to people as North Texans head into the summer months—please don’t drink and drive.
“She was always singing in her room,” Saenz said.
Mandujano was killed 2 weeks ago, after having a movie night with her cousin.
“She went to drop off her cousin on her way back is when the accident happened,” Saenz said.
Police said Jerald Komahcheet was driving drunk and high when he slammed into Mandujano's car and killed her on Highway 66 in Garland.
“She had so many dreams,” Saenz said.
At 25 years old, Mandujano was a junior at Texas A&M. She was also a painter, a fanatic for Korean food and wanted to be an educator one day.
“First she wanted to be a history high school teacher, then she said she would do little kids,” Saenz said. “He destroyed our family. We will never be the same."
Saenz said she wants lawmakers to enforce harsher penalties for those accused of drinking and driving.
“Keep him in longer than 20 years," Saenz said. "He needs to suffer the way we are suffering. If parents can talk to their kids and let them know it’s not OK for them to drink and drive. There is Uber, Lift or a taxi."
With that same message in mind, Garland police said the DWI task force is out in full force.
“Their sole job is to go out there and look for people that are driving under the influence,” said Lt. Pedro Barineau with the Garland Police Department.