Chicago Air Force vet killed in Texas crash with driver of stolen car fleeing cops

Joel Jusino-Bergollo traveled from Dallas to Chicago at least twice a year to spend time with his family.

Jusino-Bergollo, 36, made the trip one final time — to be buried among cousins and uncles he loved at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

"We know hands down that [Jusino-Bergollo] would want to be where our other family members are," Zoraida Rios, Jusino-Bergollo's aunt, told the Chicago Sun-Times. "He will be laid to rest at the cemetery where we have other family members that he loved."

On Dec. 28, Jusino-Bergollo was behind the wheel of a 2015 Audi A4 on the service road of Interstate 35 and Inwood Road in Dallas. It was about 1:30 p.m when Devonte Webber, who was allegedly trying to elude police, drove a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer stolen from Chicago the wrong way on the road, officials said.

Webber hit Jusino-Bergollo head-on, according to the Texas Department of Safety. Jusino-Bergollo was pronounced dead at the scene.

"This has been extremely difficult for all of us because of the closeness we have with [Jusino-Bergollo,]" Juan Rios said about his nephew.

Shortly after the wreck, Webber, who was fleeing Fort Worth police, was arrested and booked into the Dallas County Jail for murder, evading arrest with vehicle causing death, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and unlawful carrying of a weapon, Texas authorities said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed Webber is from Chicago.

He was held on $321,000 bond and remained jailed as of Thursday morning, according to Dallas County.

"The fact that somebody like this is not on the street to be able to hurt or commit a crime is the justice we want," Juan Rios said.

The Rios' were visiting Mexico for the holidays when Jusino-Bergollo's grief-struck sister called Juan Rios.

"Joey died, Joe's dead," Juan Rios recalls hearing Jusino-Bergollo's sister say.

Jusino-Bergollo's family organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to help with unexpected burial costs and flying Jusino-Bergollo's remains to Chicago to be buried among family. The page raised over $16,800 as of Thursday afternoon.

As Jusino-Bergollo's loved ones prepared to bury him this week, they've leaned on each other to help navigate through the difficult times.

Juan Rios has relied on his wife, Zoraida, along with about 17 supportive family members who are "continuously uplifting each other," in a group chat.

"It's almost hard to believe that there can be a blessing in any of this, but the blessing is how the family has really come together," Zoraida Rios said. "This has truly brought all of us together for his sake, because he was just that special to each of us."

Jusino-Bergollo grew up in Belmont Cragin and lived there until he relocated to Texas in 2017 while serving in the Air Force.

A Dallas resident, Jusino-Bergollo worked for an insurance company as a licensing manager and drove an Uber on the side. He moved to the state to be close to his 4-year-old son, Aiden.

"His son lit up his life," Juan Rios, 55, said. "He loved being a dad. He was just so happy and that boy was his world."

Rios viewed Jusino-Bergollo as more of a son than a nephew. The two spent "hundreds of hours together" watching scary movies and boxing matches or playing basketball and football.

"We'd share and partake in things as almost like peer-to-peer versus uncle-to-nephew," Juan Rios said. "One thing that I do remember that was so common and so prevalent in [Jusino-Bergollo] was just his love for family, wanting to be around family."

Jusino-Bergollo had a passion for films ranging from scary movies to Marvel films. He'd speak of movies to his uncle so often, his two younger cousins called him "movie" for a couple of years when he was a teenager thinking it was Jusino-Bergollo's name.

Jusino-Bergollo was a "patriot at heart" and his love for the United States inspired him to enlist into the Air Force, according to his uncle.

"He loved his country [and] just the thought of being a Puerto Rican-American," Juan Rios said.

Juan and Zoraida Rios emphasized the importance of showing love today because tomorrow isn’t promised.

"I'm so thankful that he knew he was loved," Zoraida Rios said.