Andrew and Stacia Stuart dropped off one of their 7-year-old twins at school in Gilroy, California, on January 16, 2026, like any typical morning. Just after saying goodbye, they made their way to the intersection of Charles Lux Drive and Lopez Way. As they were crossing the street, a teenage driver struck the couple. Andrew Stuart died at the scene, but Stacia Stuart hung on to life until January 21, when she died of her injuries. Now the couple’s loved ones are grappling with the loss and doing their best to care for the children. It’s a heartache no one should have to experience.
According to the Gilroy Police Department, the accident occurred outside Las Animas Elementary School just after 8 a.m. Emergency responders did their best to try to save Andrew Stuart and airlifted Stacia Stuart to an area hospital. The teen driver reportedly cooperated with police. Investigators do not believe drugs, alcohol, or speed contributed to what happened.
Hours after the accident, Gilroy Unified School District Superintendent Anisha Munshi shared a message of love and hope for the district. The Stuart family had a student at Las Animas and another at Rod Kelly Elementary School. The district provided counseling services for anyone in need following the Stuarts’ deaths.
“I am deeply saddened for the family, our students, the broader community, and the driver. Please hold all those involved, and our community, close in your hearts,” Munshi wrote in the message.
Gilroy Mayor Greg Bozzo echoed the superintendent’s message and confirmed the city’s commitment to its citizens.
“Please take time to look out for one another and reflect on the importance of empathy, patience, and our collective role in fostering compassion and understanding,” Bozzo shared.
Following Andrew and Stacia Stuart’s deaths, online tributes poured in from loved ones.
The couple’s niece, Lauryn Borges, shared beautiful memories on social media of growing up with Andrew and recalled when Stacia joined the family.
“Your life was amazing, exciting, and so beautiful. It is an absolute tragedy that I’m having to write this, and makes me even more sad that I didn’t get to say this to you while you were still here. I love you Uncle A,” Borges wrote.
The South Valley Civic Theatre will miss Stacia Stuart, who loved the stage and performing and two roles in particular. “She was a magnetic force that you couldn’t help but watch. But out of all the roles that she played, her favorite ones were as a wife and mother. Her family was never far from her thoughts and she treated her cast members with the same tenderness and love that she shared with them,” the tribute reads.
The Stuarts’ story is a gut-wrenching reminder that driving is so much more than getting from point A to point B. People’s lives are on the line, and we have to keep our focus at all times when behind the wheel. One second can make all the difference.
