A man has been arrested on murder charges for a DUI crash that killed a pair of toddlers in California.
Alexis Garcia, 28, from Santa Barbara County, has been charged with two counts of murder, one count of DUI, and one count of felony hit-and-run and will be booked upon his release from hospital, according to KTLA5.
Investigators allege that Garcia’s vehicle struck a car with the two toddlers, aged 3 and 4 inside after he allegedly ran a red light on Sunday night in Rialto, San Bernardino County.
Police say that the young victims were inside their parent’s white Honda Accord which was turning left when the Blue Dodge Ram pickup truck Garcia was driving, struck it side-on. Their vehicle then careened towards a black tow truck, said Rialto Police Department’s Sergeant Daniel Smith.
One of the toddlers was launched from the vehicle upon impact and later both were declared dead at the scene, Smith confirmed.
The girls’ father, Marky Flores, 25 required hospitalization for moderate injuries, and the mother Valencia Avilez, 24, was uninjured, said ABC7.
Lisa Avilez, the step-grandmother of the two girls, identified them formally as Neveah and Alenia Flores.
She told KTLA5: “I’m lost for words. I just had them two weeks ago. I just went out and bought Christmas clothes for them … I’m angry. I’m angry. People do not need to be driving drunk.
“How many fatalities is it going to take? He just took two innocent children’s lives, and now my daughter is a mess.”
Garcia allegedly attempted to leave the scene of the fatal accident but police found and arrested him 400 yards away.
He was still being treated for injuries acquired during the crash on Monday evening and when discharged he he will be booked into West Valley Detention Center, authorities told ABC7.
The girl’s father is reportedly undergoing surgery in the hospital, according to a GoFundMe campaign that has been created to support the parents with medical and funeral expenses.
An investigation into the crash remains ongoing and The Independent contacted the Rialto Police Department for information.
