LEAGUE CITY, Texas – In honor of National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, KPRC 2′s Amy Davis and Haley Hernandez were able to speak with a League City couple whose daughter was killed in a crash involving a drunk driver in 2017.
Kelsey Nalepa would’ve been 15 years old this year and a sophomore in high school. Her life was tragically cut short after a crash that happened on April 6. The girl died just two days later. On KPRC 2+ Tuesday, Kelsey’s father, Marcus Nalepa, recalled the day the crash happened.
“Just a normal day like everybody else goes through,” Marcus said. “We were taking Kelsey to a softball game and we were hit from behind at a stoplight and it turns out the driver had been drinking and Kelsey ended up sustaining non-survivable brain injuries that day.”
TxDOT’s Memorial Sign Program
In honor of Kelsey’s memory, her mother Nicole applied to get a sign through TxDOT’s Memorial Sign Program, which gives loved ones the opportunity to purchase and place a commemorative sign near the site of a crash. The sign was officially erected last week.
“For me, it’s just a reminder to everybody,” Nicole said. “First of all, we want them to see that it can impact others and so maybe if they see that sign, it’ll make them think twice about decisions that they make. It also puts Kelsey’s name out there as a reminder to everyone that it happened here in our community and it can happen anywhere.”
Marcus emphasized that the memorial sign is a big deal for the family and the community.
“You can get in a mode where you’re just living life and not thinking about things and it’s such a common place for people to think, ‘Ok, I got this,’ but hopefully when people see that sign, it reminds them and maybe Kelsey can continue to maybe save other people’s lives, and if that sign saves one person, one family from having to experience what we’ve experienced, then it’s well worth it, in my opinion,” Marcus said.
5K for Kelsey
Held in April every year, 5K for Kelsey helps raise money for scholarships for girls in the community. The awards are given out at the event.
The couple said they were able to give out $16,000 to 20 girls in 2022.
“Twenty different girls got some meaningful assistance for their beginning of the their journey through college life,” Marcus said.
The family has a message about drunk driving during the holiday season.
“It’s not hard to make arrangements ahead of time,” Nicole said. “It’s definitely the season to go to parties and enjoy time with friends and family, but don’t drive. It’s not hard to do. Get an Uber, get a Lyft. Schedule it ahead of time.”
Police arrested 41-year-old Erika Diebel in connection to the crash. Diebel was charged with intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. Her bond was set at $100,000, which she later posted, according to reports. She was given 10 years of probation in 2019.