Boys burned in road rage shooting from July 4, 2019, still recovering as trial underway

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A trial is underway in downtown Houston for the man accused of a road rage shooting that sparked a fire and burned two children and their father.

Bayron Rivera, 21, is on trial for the shooting that ignited fireworks inside the family’s truck three years ago.

The fiery crash happened on July 4, 2019, in northwest Harris County. Bentley and Messiah Smith, then one and two years old, and their father, Reginald Smith, were badly burned. Rivera was 18 at the time.

The boys were in their car seats, riding in their truck with their mother and father when investigators said Rivera fired rounds from a semi-automatic rifle into their vehicle. The shots ignited fireworks inside the family’s vehicle.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the incident was the result of road rage.

“(Expletive) that. I’m going to blow you up,” Jasmin Wolford, the boy’s mother, said as she took the stand on Wednesday and recalled what she heard Rivera say before the shooting.

The boys’ father testified on Tuesday.

Investigators believe Rivera followed the family, even after they stopped at a store for diapers.

The family was rescued from the fire. The boys spent weeks at Shriners Burns Hospital in Galveston. Rivera was charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault, serious bodily injury, and injury to a child, serious bodily injury.

Wolford has documented the boys’ recovery on social media. They are now 4 and 5 years old and attend kindergarten and pre-K. They have undergone more than a dozen surgeries and procedures.

Wolford said they are no longer burn victims, but rather burn survivors. A relative told ABC13 there are good and bad days, but they are grateful, and their faith in God is strong.

The trial resumes on Thursday.