A year after a South Padre Island crash, an Army veteran is still rebuilding his life
· KRGV (NBC 5)
Matthew Johnson, a Laguna Vista resident and Army veteran, is still recovering from serious injuries sustained nearly a year ago when he was struck by a car driven by an alleged drunk driver on South Padre Island. The incident occurred in May 2025 while Johnson was crossing Padre Boulevard. Following the accident, he spent weeks in a polytrauma unit at the Audie Murphy VA hospital in San Antonio. Johnson, who served in Iraq from 2005 to 2006, described the crash as more traumatic than his combat experiences. He now advocates against drunk driving, urging others to find safe transportation after drinking. The driver, Linda Zenaida Vazquez, faces charges of intoxication assault and is set to enter a guilty plea in August 2026.
AI summary · Source: KRGV (NBC 5) →
