Roadside Memorial

If you have seen any of my photography work, you have probably seen The Boys of Booker T, the multimedia documentary piece I produced for my Plan II thesis at UT-Austin. Many of you also know that Christian Martinez, the young man most prominently featured in the piece, was killed in a car accident on US Highway 290 between Houston and Austin in the early morning of April 11, 2010. You may find photos of this continuing story here.

On August 15, Kelly and I met Christian’s family and friends at the roadside spot where Texas DPS estimates the accident occurred. (They actually gave us a pretty specific location). No one had been out there since the accident, so everyone was seeing the spot for the first time, including Joey Gutierrez, who was actually in the car with Christian when it crashed that Sunday morning.

The past few months have been difficult for Maricela with continued hardships relating to and stemming from Christian's death. But she called me last night to tell me she would be in San Antonio today to be sworn in as a U.S. citizen. She told me she is so thankful to God for this small blessing.
Joey Gutierrez, 14, who was in the car with Christian when it crashed, picks up a piece of debris from the side of the road while Christian's older brother Jorge, 21, looks on. Joey was visiting the site for the first time since the wreck occured at 3 a.m. on Sunday April 21, 2010.

Maricela's brother holds a handmade cross that the family placed in the ground at the estimated crash site while Christian's sisters and friends stand by the roadside.

Maricela Juarez, Christian's mother, adjusts some flowers on the handmade cross the family placed in the ground at the crash site.

Maricela gazes towards US Highway 290 in Chappel Hill, Texas at the site where Texas Department of Public Safety officers estimate a car carrying her two sons crashed on April 11, 2010.

Looking west towards Austin on US Highway 290 at the estimated crash site.