On Sunday afternoon, five-year-old Alexa Avalos lost her life and another young boy suffered serious injuries in a single-car crash in Colton, California. Their father, Ernesto Avalos, 28, was suspected of driving while intoxicated when he crashed into a light pole on South Cooley Drive.
The incident occurred on April 11th at approximately 2:25 p.m. Witnesses told investigators that the vehicle driven by the defendant was traveling southbound in a Toyota 4Runner when he rolled over a raised center median and blew past a stop sign at a dangerously accelerated speed before slamming head-on into a pole. While preliminary investigations suggest Avalos may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision, authorities have not ruled out the possibility that other substances might have been used and contributed to the tragic crash.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the crime, they found Avalos and two children entrapped in the vehicle and carefully extracted them. The impact of the crash was severe and all three occupants were transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Sadly, Alexa’s injuries were fatal, and she passed away shortly upon arrival. Her father was released from the hospital the following day and was arrested immediately on suspicion of drunk driving. Unfortunately, this is not Avalos’ first DUI offense. In February of 2021, he was charged with a misdemeanor of DUI which, according to the court, is still an open case.
On Tuesday, prosecutors filed additional charges associated with the crash that killed his little girl in a new case. In addition to murder, he now faces child endangerment and a felony DUI. The defendant is currently being held at West Valley Detention Center on no bail.
Driving while under the influence is not only extremely dangerous, but has consequences that can completely disrupt the trajectory of your life. If you find yourself in a compromising position such as this, please make the wise decision to opt for a mode of transportation that does not require to you get behind the wheel—a decision like this can not only salvage your life, but the lives of others as well.
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