Florida woman, allegedly driving 5 times over legal limit while rushing to work, kills mother of 3: police
A Florida woman is behind bars after she was allegedly nearly five times over the legal limit for drinking when, while running late for work and speeding, she T-boned another vehicle, killing its driver, according to the Winter Springs Police Department.
Officers said that they responded to what was described as a "horrific crash" at an intersection in Winter Springs around 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The crash claimed the life of Tiffany Alexander, a wife and mother of three children. She succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital following the crash, police said.
Police said Asnubil Escobar, 25, a bartender and restaurant manager in Sanford, was arrested at her home on Wednesday night and booked into the Seminole County jail on charges of vehicular DUI homicide, DUI with property damage, DUI causing injury, and DUI with a blood alcohol of 0.08 or more, in connection to the fatal crash.
"I don't know anybody in this room if we'd be standing at a [blood alcohol limit of] 0.38. I don't really know how she was driving at a 0.38, it boggles my mind," Winter Springs Police Chief Matt Tracht said during a Thursday morning press conference.
Alexander's friend from their running club told police that they had just left a park and were driving behind Alexander at the time of the crash, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 35 Orlando.
Escobar allegedly ran a red light while speeding, although it's unclear how fast she was driving, Tracht said.
Escobar told police that she drank her last alcoholic beverage around 1:30 a.m., hours before the crash, when she visited a Sanford bar after work. After that, she claimed she went home, spent time with her roommate, woke up and left her house around 9:40 a.m. to go to work, according to the arrest affidavit.
"You know, I find it hard to believe at 10 o'clock that morning, you're a 0.38. So, at 1:30 in the morning, if you stop drinking, are you a 0.4? 0.5? I don't know. You know, [you] probably should be dead at that point," Tracht said.
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Tracht said that two of Alexander's three children were in the backseat at the time of the crash, sustaining minor injuries, and are expected to be OK. The chief said he was thankful the children were not seriously harmed and that the crash could have been prevented.
"This accident could have been totally prevented if Miss Escobar made some good choices that day. And we all know, she did not make good choices and this is the outcome," Tracht said.
During the press conference, reporters asked Tracht how the Alexander family was coping.
"I spoke to Mr. Alexander last night, expressed our condolences," Tracht said. "He was very thankful, but he's going through a grieving stage right now. He's in shock. His wife and the mother of the three kids do not have a mother anymore, so he's going to deal with that."
Tracht said the department was still investigating the case and executing search warrants.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help assist Alexander's family.
"Tiffany will forever be remembered by all who knew her for her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, her laughter, and her ability to make people feel seen and loved," the description reads.