David S. Suazo Wildt Automotive Engineer & Crash Expert

Provide technical investigations, crashworthiness and engineering, and accident reconstruction analysis.

Motor Vehicle Design, Development and Testing: From requirements, concept through validation testing of complete vehicles. Testing of pre-production and production vehicles to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) internal standards, and other requirements. Full-scale dynamic crash testing of vehicles. Test setup and execution of vehicle subsystems including seatbelts, door beams, static and dynamic airbag deployment, seat strength, head impact, sled testing, durability and fatigue testing, environmental testing, materials testing, vibration testing, and test equipment development.

Motor Vehicle Failures and Diagnosis: Structural; air bag; seat belt; seat retention; windshield; steering; suspension; fatigue; durability; vibration; frontal impact injury; side impact injury; rear impact injury; interiors flammability; door slam; head impact; roof crush; door retention; fuel tank; tires; seat cushion durability; exterior components cold impact; windshield, noise evaluation. Diagnosis of steering systems, closures, window regulators, water sealing, door latches, primary and supplemental restraint systems, lighting/electrical, interior/exterior components and systems, and safety recall repairs. Proper use of service repair tools and equipment, repair procedures and shop operations.

Fabrication Process and Equipment: Steel, aluminum, and extruded aluminum fixture fabrication to simulate vehicle body, perform dimensional checks, coordinate measuring machines. Experienced with 3D scanning, 3D printing, pneumatic and DC powered tools, hand tools, torque verification means and methods, pneumatic and hydraulic load applicators, adhesives, welding (MIG), milling, drill press, band saws, machining, operator protection means and methods, and operator ergonomics.

Vehicle Accident Reconstruction: Engineering analysis of crash damage, incident reports, vehicle and environmental data to understand crash dynamics and contributing factors. Inspection of damaged vehicle, components, and site inspection. Review of police report, witness statements, scene photos and other documents. Computational recreation of the accident using facts and scientifically accepted methodology to determine how the accident occurred, including elements within the accident. All to determine cause(s) of the accident, including the resulting severity.

Professional Experience

Provide technical investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony toward the resolution of commercial and personal injury litigation involving vehicle collisions, vehicle crashworthiness and engineering issues, mechanical defects and malfunctions, and vehicle repair issues for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs and medium trucks.

Test Lab Manager – Texas Operations 2019-2024

• Managed and developed a team of 15 engineers and technicians, overseeing testing projects worth over $400k monthly.
• Oversaw MGA Texas operations driving results to meet or exceed monthly and yearly revenue projections.
• Spearheaded initiatives along company executives to expand market opportunities for testing and equipment sales, resulting in company-wide revenue increase.
• Interfaced with OEM automakers and suppliers; including visits across the US and Mexico to understand their unique engineering and production processes, providing personalized testing services and testing equipment while, streamlining procurement procedures.

Test Lab Engineer - Texas/Michigan/Wisconsin Operations  2015-2024

• Conducted 1000+ mechanical, dynamic, static, durability/fatigue, environmental and material tests; including full-scale dynamic vehicle crash testing.
• Expert in data acquisition systems, sensors and data analysis of crash testing simulations.
• Developed and taught skills for troubleshooting and repairing testing equipment on-site, reducing operational interruptions and external costs to the company.
• Applied mechanical engineering knowledge in static/dynamic systems to create new test methodologies for custom tests.
• Improved testing efficiency by implementing procedures that minimized downtime.
• Lead customer interactions, ensuring program deadlines were met, resulting in an increase in customer business and satisfaction.

Test Lab Quality Manager - Texas Operations  2016-2024

• Established and maintained ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation, successfully undergoing yearly A2LA external audits.
• Developed standard operating procedures for tests within the lab’s scope of accreditation.
• Continuously trained the team to increase their knowledge of standard testing procedures and regulations such as Title 14 CFR Part 23, 25, 27, and 29, AS8049, SAE J211, FMVSS 201, 202, 207, 208, 210, 301 and other relevant regulations involving aircraft and automotive safety testing.
• Reorganized quality management systems, enhancing testing efficiency.
• Increased the scope of testing the lab is accredited to perform, resulting in new business opportunities emerging from OEMs and suppliers located in Texas and Mexico.
• Communicated directly and frequently with customers to ensure quality of testing met their requirements and service levels are up to expectations.
• Maintained comprehensive records of all instrumentation and equipment to track calibration and maintenance for testing purposes.
• Built relationships with external calibration labs to decrease lead-time on increasing calibration demands.
• Responsible for documenting compliance with the quality system, which includes:
  • Maintaining all quality records and forms.
  • Conducting yearly audits to ensure the quality/efficiency/repeatability of tests.
  • Conducting management reviews to identify continuous improvement opportunities and risks, leading to strategic changes.
  • Ensuring the tests ran at the facility complied with the quality assurance program.

Professional Credentials

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Education

B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, 2014

B.S., Mathematics, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, 2012

Continuing Education

• Advanced Crash Reconstruction Utilizing Human Factors, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, 2026
• Reconstruction and Analysis of Rollover Crashes of Light Vehicles, SAE International, 2025
• Traffic Crash Reconstruction I, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, 2025
• Advanced Applications of Heavy Vehicle EDR Data, SAE International, 2025
• Traffic Crash Investigation II, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, 2025
• Traffic Crash Investigation I, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, 2025
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, SSGI, 2024
• ISO/IEC 17025 Internal Audits, A2la, 2015
• ISO/IEC 17025 – General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories, A2la, 2015
• ISO/IEC 17025 Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action, A2la, 2015

Professional Memberships

• SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers), 2014-2015, 2022-Present
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2014-2015, 2025-Present

v. 06/17/26