On March 23, 2023, my 20-year-old son, Isaiah Williams Escalante, was tragically killed in Tucson, Arizona. Isaiah was riding his bicycle when an impaired driver—with a .076 BAC, red, watery eyes, and a strong odor of alcohol—T-boned another vehicle, setting off a fatal chain reaction. That vehicle veered into the bike lane and struck Isaiah, killing him instantly.

The impaired driver, Mathew Lee Taleck, was arrested for manslaughter the night of the crash. But in a heartbreaking miscarriage of justice, the Pima County Attorney’s Office dropped all charges within five days. 

In a grotesque and unforgivable decision, the Pima County Attorney’s Office labeled the impaired driver a victim in this case—
the very same driver who was driving IMPAIRED and set off the chain of events that forced the involved vehicle into Isaiah Escalante, killing him.

This is not justice.
This is betrayal by the very office sworn to uphold the law.

My son was not just a name in a report—he was a light in this world. He lived by the words:

“Beautiful—be-you-to-ful,” meaning be yourself to the fullest.
“Defend what’s right with courage.”
And Isaiah was. He was gentle and wise, a spiritual soul who carried Narcan to help others, followed Dr. Sebi’s food teachings, meditated barefoot in the earth, journaled his goals, and read books on personal growth, finance, and spirituality. He dreamed big and gave even bigger—spending his first real paycheck on groceries for our family. He was the best version of himself when he was killed.

Now, I’m fighting for the justice he never got—and for the justice too many families are denied.

We are calling on Arizona lawmakers to pass The Isaiah Williams Escalante Act, a bill that would:

✅ Require mandatory criminal charges for impaired drivers in crashes that result in death or serious injury
✅ Enforce Arizona’s current “slightest degree” DUI law in these situations
✅ Prevent impaired drivers from being labeled “victims” when their impairment contributes to the tragedy
✅ Allow for review of past cases where charges were wrongfully dropped

Please sign and share this petition to support our demand for accountability. Help us pass The Isaiah Law so no other family has to fight through grief and betrayal like we have.

Stand with us. Stand with Isaiah. Let’s make justice mandatory.