A 72-year-old Hialeah Gardens woman has been charged with DUI manslaughter after a crash that resulted in the death of another woman. Julia Vega was arrested following an incident on New Year's Eve where she reportedly lost control of her vehicle and drove into a lake, causing the death of 69-year-old Elsa Pintor.
According to reports by Local 10, Vega was driving in the parking lot of the Vista Del Lago Condominium complex when she suddenly accelerated, striking a yellow pole and a chain-link fence before the vehicle plunged into the lake. Authorities said as Vega was trying to escape the vehicle, a police sergeant arrived and assisted by tossing her a rope, which enabled her to be pulled to safety. Unfortunately, Pintor was unable to escape and later died at the hospital.
The NBC Miami article revealed that toxicology results showed Vega had a blood alcohol level well above Florida's legal limit and also tested positive for Alprazolam, a prescription drug. "I'm not drunk, we only had wine at Cooper’s Hawk," Vega said, according to officers at the scene. However, she subsequently failed field sobriety tests, and a blood draw warrant confirmed the intoxication levels.
Vega, who was taken into custody a month after the crash, now faces serious charges. The complexities of the personal relationships involved came to light during Vega's bond court appearance. Local10's report noted that Vega's daughter and the victim's son are married, entangling two families in this tragedy. Despite a plea from her attorney citing her past driving record and a dropped charge, the judge set her bond at $50,000 and ordered her not to drive.
