Florida woman, 3 grandkids killed in crash with suspected drunk driver speeding at 99 mph
A Florida man suspected of driving drink and speeding at almost 100 mph slammed into the back of another car over the weekend, killing a woman and three children inside, police say.
The crash happened just before 6 p.m. Saturday in Miami Gardens when a black Kia Sorento rear-ended a white Nissan Altima carrying three adults and five children, the Miami Gardens Police Department said in a news release. The Altima became sandwiched between the SUV in the back and a Cadillac Escalade in the front.
"We can definitely confirm that speed was a factor and alcohol was also a factor,' Executive Officer Emmanuel Jeanty said at a news conference. 'It's a very tough night for our community."
Jeanty identified the driver of the black Kia SUV as 25-year-old Antonio Wilcox Jr., saying the department confirmed he had alcohol in his system and was "being tested for additional factors to his impairment," Jeanty said Tuesday.
Wilcox was driving at least 99 miles per hour and was accelerating up to the point of impact when he caused the crash, which was was captured on surveillance footage, police said. "The throttle was all the way down," Jeanty said.
As of Tuesday Wilcox was still hospitalized but authorities have obtained a warrant for his arrest, police confirmed to USA TODAY. Jeanty told CBS News that Wilcox will be charged with four counts of vehicular homicide.
USA TODAY couldn't immediately identify an attorney representing Wilcox.
Family mourns loss of family in deadly crash
Police identified the victims who died in the crash as 51-year-old Rosa Mae Jones, and her grandchildren: 10-year-old Irena, 8-year-old Zarina, and 10-year-old Kamari, who was celebrating his birthday, local media outlet WTVJ-TV reported.
The family was headed to the movie theater when the crash happened.
"They was wonderful kids," their aunt, Susie Williams, told the station. "I'm gonna miss my babies."
The rest of the family included the children's mother, Donika Johnson, who was in critical condition Tuesday, 13-year-old Ka'Myra, who was left brain dead and remains in critical condition, as well as Johnson's partner, Ariel Johnson, who is also hospitalized, WTVJ-TV reported.
A family friend, 7-year-old Cyrus Rankin, was in the vehicle and is in critical condition, his mother told WTVJ-TV.
Rankin's mother, Destiny Rosa, told the outlet that she sensed something was wrong as she tracked his phone.
"I just felt it, a mom knows," she told WTVJ-TV. "As soon as he left my house I started tracking his location and he wasn't moving and I just knew something was wrong."
She asked community members to pray and said her family needs "a big miracle."
According to WTVJ-TV, police said at least three people in the car didn't have seatbelts on.
Father of some crash victims has a warning
Ronald McCall, the father of the two of the girls who died, told WTVJ-TV that he had just been released from jail for DUI the morning after the crash.
'Don't drink and drive,' he said. 'I get out and actually lose my babies to drinking and driving … They'll never be back again. I'm left with only two. It's hard.'
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
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