A guy has been jailed on murder charges following a DUI crash in California that killed two kids.
Alexis Garcia, 28, of Santa Barbara County, has been charged with two charges of homicide, one case of DUI, and one count of felony hit-and-run, and will be booked after he is released from the hospital, according to KTLA5.
Garcia allegedly ran a red light on Sunday night in Rialto, San Bernardino County, and collided with a car carrying two youngsters, ages three and four.
According to police, the young victims were in their parents’ white Honda Accord, which was turning left when Garcia’s blue Dodge Ram pickup truck collided with it side on. Sergeant Daniel Smith of the Rialto Police Department stated that their vehicle then careened into a black tow truck.
One of the children was ejected from the vehicle upon collision, and both were pronounced dead at the site, Smith reported.
According to ABC7, the girls’ father, Marky Flores, 25, was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, while their mother, Valencia Avilez, 24, was not wounded.
Lisa Avilez, the children’ step-grandmother, formally identified them as Neveah and Alenia Flores.
She told KTLA5: “I am at a loss for words. I just got them two weeks ago. I just got Christmas clothing for them. I’m angry. I’m angry. People should not be driving inebriated.
“How many fatalities will it take? “He just killed two innocent children, and now my daughter is a mess.”
Garcia allegedly tried to flee the scene of the deadly accident, but authorities apprehended and arrested him 400 yards away.
He was still being treated for injuries sustained in the incident on Monday evening, and once released, he would be placed into the West Valley Detention Center, according to ABC7.
The girl’s father is allegedly in the hospital for surgery, according to a GoFundMe account set up to help the parents with medical and burial expenses.