A Southern California man has been charged with murder following a devastating crash that claimed the lives of two girls, ages 3 and 4. Alexis Jose Garcia, 28, faces two counts of murder in connection with an alleged alcohol-related crash Sunday night. in Rialto. The accident occurred around 11 p.m. at Walnut and Riverside Drives, according to Sgt. Daniel Smith of the Rialto Police Department.
Garcia was driving a blue Dodge Ram pickup truck that reportedly ran a red light and collided with a white Honda Accord that was turning left. The impact caused the vehicles to crash into a black crane. Tragically, both girls, identified by family members as Neveah and Alenia Flores, were pronounced dead at the scene. One of the children was ejected from the car, he said KTLA.
His father suffered minor injuries, while his mother was unharmed. Both girls were in car seats at the time of the accident. Garcia fled the scene but was detained approximately a quarter mile away. He was arrested and faces charges including two counts of murder, felony vehicular manslaughter, DUI and felony hit and run.
Officials also filed additional charges of fleeing the scene, serious bodily injury, and driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15% or more. San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson condemned the accident and said, “Here we have another tragic DUI-related death that was completely preventable and born of selfish and reckless behavior.
“Those two girls should be writing letters to Santa, but instead, their family is faced with the unthinkable task of writing their eulogies.” Prosecutors recommended that Garcia not be released on bail, and he remains in custody pending his next court appearance on Nov. 27.
Meanwhile, in Lancaster, California, a 19-year-old man, Miguel Sandoval, was arrested in connection with the deaths of four people found in a burning house. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrested Sandoval after responding to reports of a shooting at a residence in the 44500 block of Tabler Avenue on Saturday, November 16.
Eyewitnesses reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the house. Three people were found dead inside and a fourth succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Authorities believe the incident occurred during a party at the house. Both tragedies highlight the devastating consequences of reckless and criminal behavior, which leaves communities grieving and families torn apart.