A Texas father was arrested after he accidentally ran over and killed his son with his truck while they were off-roading at a park.
Jack Cody West, 47, was "actively mudding" in a Ford F-250 truck at around 8pm on March 30, according to authorities.
His 19-year-old son was riding in the bed of the truck while the duo were mudding, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Investigators allege that West was drinking at the time of the incident, the Miami Herald reports.
During their mudding, the truck reportedly hit some bumps, which bounced the vehicle and tossed Blake Cody West, 19, out of the bed. The young man was then run over by the truck, according to authorities.
“Video … from a bystander showed the white F-250 truck bounce off a few ruts. This caused the contents of the bed to be tossed out, which included the victim. The truck was then seen fatally running over the victim,” the sheriff's office said in a statement.
According to deputies, the young man's "family and bystanders immediately rushed to begin life saving measures, however, the victim was pronounced deceased a short time later."
Deputies arrived at the scene and arrested the father shortly after. According to investigators, West smelled of alcohol and slurred his speech.
West allegedly told deputies that he had been drinking before the incident, but he refused a field sobriety test. Investigators requested a warrant to draw his blood.
“Elements for recklessness were evident to arrest the suspect for intoxication manslaughter," according to the sheriff's office.
Blake's mother remembered her son, saying he loved the challenge of working on off-road vehicles, according to KENS5.
"My son loved to work on cars and buy them and sell them and make profit off of them," Jodi Lyn Lindsey, Blake's mother, said. "He loved the challenge and he loved 4-wheelers and go-karts."
Lindsey said that Blake's siblings and his wife, D'leijah, were present at the time of the incident.
"She was able to be there holding his hand until the very end, which a mother's dream is that their child never goes alone and her being there was the biggest help for me, that he felt her love to the very end and that's why they are an amazing couple," she told the broadcaster.
West has been booked into the Bexar County Jail on a charge of intoxication manslaughter. He is being held on a $125,000 bond.
If he makes bail, a judge has ruled that he can only be released into full house arrest with a GPS monitor and an ignition lock for his vehicle. He is not allowed to possess alcohol or firearms.
