Family of Liam Cantu Pushes for Safer Roads After Deadly DUI Crash in Coachella Valley

The family of 14-year-old Liam Cantu is working to create change after their son was killed in a suspected drunk driving crash last month. They say life has not been the same since the night Liam was taken, but they are channeling their grief toward safer roadways and stronger accountability.

Liam was struck and killed on October 10. Investigators say the driver, Jose Villegas Sobre, had already been involved in a crash just an hour earlier and was on probation for a prior DUI. Earlier this week, his charges were upgraded from manslaughter to murder after prosecutors disclosed new evidence. Liam’s parents say his blood alcohol level was alarmingly high.

“When they drew his blood at 1 a.m., he was at .34. So based off of that, when the accident happened at 9 p.m., he was estimated between .40 and .42,” Liam’s father said. “My son could still be here if somebody would have made the right decision.”

Liam’s parents believe that more education, more reporting, and more action are needed to stop impaired drivers before tragedy occurs.

They are now connecting with the community to carry on Liam’s legacy. ZT Baseball, the organization Liam played with, plans to honor him by adding his number to team jerseys. The family also hopes local businesses will join them in wearing red in support of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the effort to prevent impaired driving.

“We’re still grieving,” they shared, “but we want to make a difference so this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

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