On that tragic Tuesday evening, the peaceful serenity of San Antonio’s East Side was shattered by a reckless act that would leave a community in mourning. Janice Walker, a 70-year-old woman known for her nurturing spirit and dedication to her family, was caught in a nightmare not of her making.
As she sat outside her home, resting on her porch, her life was abruptly torn apart by a speeding black sedan that careened out of control along the 100 block of DaFoste Avenue.
It was just past 10:55 p.m. when the driver, traveling at an excessive speed, lost grip on the sharp 90-degree curve that marked the street’s bend. The vehicle, a sleek black sedan, vaulted the curb with terrifying force, launching upward before striking Walker, who was outside her house at the time. The impact was brutal—her body was crushed beneath the wreckage, her porch and yard becoming the scene of chaos. The car then rammed into the front of her home, inflicting further damage and inflicting wounds that proved fatal despite efforts by emergency responders to save her life at the hospital.
A neighbor, witnessing the horrific scene unfold, recounted seeing the vehicle soar into the air before the collision. They also heard Walker’s desperate pleas for help—cries that pierced the night—and watched as her father, desperate and determined, tried to extract her from the wreckage. The neighbor attempted to detain the driver as he emerged from the debris, but the man—who was later identified as the fleeing driver—bolted away, disappearing into the darkness before the police arrived. The escape added another layer of tragedy, leaving Walker’s family and the community grappling with unanswered questions.
The location had a troubling history. In 2019 and again in 2024, vehicles had struck the same area, raising concerns about safety. In 2023, public works crews had removed protective hedges and a fence during sidewalk renovations, leaving the yard exposed and unprotected. These missing barriers may have played a role in the severity of the crash, or at least in the lack of any defensive measures that could have lessened the impact. Local officials blame excessive velocity for the incident and have announced plans to evaluate safety measures, including the installation of speed bumps or reinforced street edges, to prevent future tragedies on this stretch of road.
Janice Walker’s loved ones remember her as a caring soul—someone who spent her evenings tending to her mother and nurturing her family. Her niece described her as “the heart of the family,” someone who found joy in simple moments and was always there for others. Now, her family mourns her loss, haunted by the image of her on that porch, vulnerable and innocent, struck down by a driver who fled the scene.
The investigation into the crash continues. Authorities are seeking sightings of the vehicle and the missing driver—who faces potential charges of collision involving death. As the community mourns, they also hold onto hope that justice will be pursued and that, somehow, the truth behind that terrible night will come to light. The trail of the fleeing driver remains unresolved, leaving a shadow of tension and grief hanging over the East Side, as loved ones and neighbors grapple with the profound loss of Janice Walker and the unanswered questions that linger in the aftermath of tragedy.
