Three months later a South Bend family is searching for answers

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Monday marks three months with no answers and no closure for one South Bend family.

The family of 21-year-old Oscar Alonzo is in mourning after their eldest son died in a crash on South Bend’s Cooper Bridge.

As the investigation continues, the family of the victim shares a piece of information no one knew about and has only shared it with ABC 57.

Four days after the accident, Oscar Alonzo’s mother, Areli Pineda Diaz, received a hand written letter from the man behind the wheel at the time of the accident.

Pineda says her husband has yet to lay eyes on it because he cannot bear the feeling.

The driver, 19-year-old Kellen Jojo wrote the letter and Pineda was the first to read it. “From the words that are written here, I think he was driving drunk,” says Pineda.

In the letter Jojo writes, “I hope everyone learns from this. Never drink and drive.”

“I am not asking for anything bad,” says Pineda. “Just for the person responsible to take on the charge.”

The police report states Jojo’s physical appearance as “had been drinking.” According to the FACT team his alcohol and drug tests are still pending.

Pineda says she is willing to forgive the driver, when she has a clear answer on what happened. “I know if he was a true friend, he is suffering.”

According to Alonzo’s family police have not yet reached out to them except the morning of March 5 starting with a door knock just after 3 a.m.

“It’s immigration! What do I do? I was so scared I ran upstairs,” says Pineda.

Everyone in the household thought it was immigration and in spite of fear no one answered the door. “With the nerves I had inside me, I didn’t open the door.”

That morning continued to get worse. Moments later, Pineda’s other son broke the news to her and his father. “He said, ‘Ma, Oscar did not survive,’” Pineda says.

Pineda in shock adds the hardest part of it all was claiming her son’s body. “That’s an image I will never be able to get out of my head.”

According to police Alonzo was in the backseat of this red Pontiac. Jojo and another passenger were in the front. Alonzo was thrown out when the car went airborne.

Both parents say they urge young adults to be responsible when driving and now wish they could give their son one last hug.

“I love you. I miss you. I will never forget you Oscar,” says father Felimon Alonso Garcia

“There’s no drug, pills, medicine I can take to help me cope with this,” adds Pineda.

The other passenger and the driver said they did not want to speak on camera.

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