Defense witness says he was shot at before Tesla struck pedestrian; acknowledges drinking and that he turned himself in

Mister Castillo, a defense witness, told the 187th District Court that he believed he was being shot at before his Tesla left the roadway and struck Eric Moody.

"I was being shot at. I was in fear for my life," Castillo testified, describing how he exited the vehicle injured, chased after a companion he identified as Antonio Lerma and then fled toward a nearby apartment complex where he hid briefly. He said the scene was darker than courtroom exhibits suggested and that early photos were "pretty fair" but brighter than how he remembered it.

Castillo identified an image of his phone introduced into evidence and said it showed seven notifications, including an automated Tesla emergency/911 notification; he said his mother received an emergency text because she was listed in his phone as an emergency contact. He testified he turned himself in to police "the day after the accident" and that, after speaking with the front desk at the station, he was arrested.

On direct he said he did not see the other occupants immediately after the crash and that, at the time, he thought only he or Lerma might have been hurt. Asked whether he caused Moody's death, Castillo said he was driving but added, "I didn't cause it, but I was driving the vehicle." He confirmed to the court that Moody died that night and described emotional distress after learning of the death.

Under questioning by opposing counsel, Castillo admitted he had been driving under the influence of alcohol and under the influence of a drug on the night of the crash. Prosecutors also reviewed video evidence with Castillo and pressed him about multiple traffic violations shown or acknowledged on the footage: not wearing a seat belt, passing vehicles, running a red light and lane violations.

Counsel questioned Castillo about seeing a firearm: he said he saw a "barrel" protruding under an elbow on the other vehicle and that he heard gunfire shortly thereafter, but repeatedly stated that, because of dim lighting and his shock, he could not describe the make or caliber of the weapon.

The cross-examination also covered a pre-crash gathering that included Jared Lopez and Antonio Lerma and whether any drinking at Castillo's apartment was a company-authorized event. Castillo said the apartment time was "just hanging out" and that any company-sanctioned events were separate; he described having one beer at the apartment and later going to a downtown bar, El Camino, earlier that evening.

Counsel and Castillo noted a roughly one-minute technical gap in the vehicle video; Castillo said he blacked out after impact and could not account for everything that might be captured in the missing footage. When asked at trial who was driving the vehicle that struck Moody, Castillo agreed he was behind the wheel.

The judge asked the parties to approach the bench and the court signaled a brief procedural pause.