Man charged with seventh DWI, accused of killing two people is out on bond
TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - Two families are frustrated with the justice system in Travis County. The man they said was drinking, driving, and who killed their children is out on bond. The same man, Roberto Rangel, has been charged with six DWI’s in the past.
"I just hope that he asked God for forgiveness because I can't," Kate Garcia’s mother, Elida Zamora, said.
Rangel, 52, started racking up DWI’s at the age of 17. He was charged with a DWI six times: 1989, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, and 2012. He’s spent years in prison.
Robert Rangel, 51, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter.
"We know that being in jail wasn't enough for him to stop drinking," Zamora said.
Last year, Rangel was caught drinking and driving for the seventh time and two people were killed, 22-year-old Kate Garcia and 23-year-old Mark Narvaez. Court documents reveal that on Dec. 18, 2022, at around 2:45 a.m., Rangel was pulling out of the Chick-fil-A driveway off East Ben White Boulevard, failed to yield, and ran into a motorcycle, ejecting and killing Garcia and Narvaez.
Garcia had just gotten engaged the night before.
"She was going to start her life," Zamora said.
Narvaez was about to graduate from the University of Texas.
"We miss him," Mark Narvaez’s father, Hector Narvaez said.
Officers said Rangel told him at the scene he was too drunk to complete the field sobriety test. He was taken to jail and held on $100,000 bond.
"It’s gone from bad to worse since we started this case," Zamora said.
About three months after he was arrested, his charge was reduced to DWI and his bond was reduced to $10,000. He got out of jail.
"We don’t understand why he’s out," Zamora said.
"I think that a guy like him is basically making a mockery out of our legal system," Narvaez said.
Rangel’s bond conditions continue to be modified. The most recent order was to remove his portable alcohol monitor.
"What kind of example is this to society, to the community," Zamora said.
The parents of Narvaez and Garcia said Rangel is dangerous and needs to be locked up, so he can’t hurt or kill anyone else.
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"I would like to see his charges raised again to manslaughter and I would also like for him to go back to, you know, waiting his time while this criminal process takes place to serve it at least in jail and not be out free," Narvaez said.
In Texas, the law states that the first two convictions for DWIs are misdemeanors. The third and fourth convictions are felonies with offenders facing two to 10 years in prison. The fifth DWI conviction can cost someone life in prison.
Records show Rangel has been sentenced to 14 years and 60 days for his past convictions.
"Ultimately, he needs to be locked away," Narvaez said.
When FOX 7 asked Rangel’s attorney about the case, he said, "No comment." The District Attorney’s Office is not commenting on the active case.