Texas Driver Sued for a Rear-End Crash in San Angelo Flees to Florida

SAN ANGELO, TX — In a case highlighting how far some will go to avoid being served a lawsuit, a Texas man has filed a lawsuit against a driver who allegedly caused a rear-end collision in San Angelo last year. The defendant, Sahedy Hernandez-Gomez, relocated to Florida shortly after the incident, complicating efforts to serve her with legal papers. However, through persistent investigation, the plaintiff managed to track her down, leading to the case being removed to federal court this week.

The accident occurred on September 2, 2024, in the 2900 block of N. Bryant Blvd. in San Angelo — near the 29th Street Walmart. According to the plaintiff's original petition, Zach Shane Embrey was traveling southbound when Hernandez-Gomez, following behind at an unsafe speed, failed to maintain control and slammed into the rear of his vehicle. The impact was violent, resulting in significant injuries to Embrey, including physical pain, mental anguish, and impairment that he claims will continue into the future. A certified Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report from the San Angelo police cited Hernandez-Gomez for "failure to control speed", and the petition asserts that her negligence was the sole proximate cause of the collision.

Embrey, a resident of Wise County, Texas, filed his lawsuit on June 24, 2025, in the 51st District Court of Tom Green County, seeking between $250,000 and $1,000,000 in damages. The suit lists multiple acts of negligence on Hernandez-Gomez's part, such as failing to keep a proper lookout, not applying brakes in time, driving recklessly, and not maintaining a safe distance. "The collision was not caused nor contributed to by the plaintiff or an innocent third party," the petition states, emphasizing that Hernandez-Gomez's actions alone led to the crash and Embrey's ongoing suffering.

Serving Hernandez-Gomez proved challenging. Initial attempts in Texas revealed discrepancies with her listed address in Midland County. Process servers visited what was believed to be her residence on Bluebird Lane in Midland, only to find the address didn't exist according to local records. A follow-up at a related property in Midland led to a conversation with her daughter, who disclosed that Hernandez-Gomez had moved to Miami, Florida, without providing contact details. This relocation suggested an attempt to evade service, as subsequent efforts in Florida at an apartment on South Dixie Highway in Naranja also met resistance—overcoming language barriers with the tenants, the process server was told the residents had no knowledge of her, despite evidence pointing to that as her last known address.

Faced with these obstacles, Embrey's legal team filed a motion for substitute service on October 15, 2025, supported by affidavits detailing the failed attempts. The court granted the order the next day, allowing service by posting the documents to the door of the Florida residence in a weather-proof envelope. This was executed on October 23, 2025, and returned on October 28, 2025, finally perfecting service after months of pursuit.

With service complete, Hernandez-Gomez, now represented by Progressive Insurance's attorney Robert B. Wagstaff, filed a notice of removal to federal court on December 9, 2025. The move to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, San Angelo Division, is based on diversity of citizenship—Embrey is a Texas resident, while Hernandez-Gomez is in Florida—and the amount in controversy exceeding $75,000.

Embrey's suit demands compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more, along with a jury trial. He also included a preservation of evidence notice, warning against spoliation. As the case proceeds in federal court, it serves as a reminder that relocating across state lines doesn't necessarily shield one from legal repercussions.

No criminal charges appear to have been filed beyond the initial traffic citation, and details of the crash remain limited in public reports.