HOUSTON - The woman suspected of drunk driving when she crashed into a car, killing a mother and her infant earlier this week, was nearly three times over the legal limit, a prosecutor said in court Friday.
Veronica Rivas, 20, is charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter. Her blood alcohol level was .21, the prosecutor said.
HAPPENING NOW: 20 year old Veronica Rivas, woman accused of driving drunk and killing a mom and her 3 month old baby boy, walks into court today. Charged with 2 counts of intoxicated manslaughter. She’s expected to face judge within the next hour. Details #Khou11 pic.twitter.com/BSUBBeUkCi
Houston Police say Rivas was speeding in her SUV around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday along the southbound feeder of the Gulf Freeway near El Dorado when she hit the back of a maroon Scion.
Police say the woman and baby inside the Scion, identified as Shayla Joseph and Braylan Joseph, were pronounced dead at the scene. They say Rivas and a 17-year-old female passenger had broken bones and were transported to a hospital.
According to investigators, Rivas showed signs of intoxication and was taken to jail following her release from the hospital.
The prosecutor said Rivas was coming from an unnamed "establishment." That place could be in trouble if they served alcohol to Rivas, who is a minor.
Rivas was released on a $60,000 bond Thursday night. She broke down in tears Friday as the judge set the following bond conditions:
- Rivas can't leave home
- She must wear a GPS ankle monitor
- She must get a SCRAM device that shows if you've been drinking or not
KHOU 11 News went to Rivas’ home in Bacliff but nobody answered the door. We spoke with a family member of the 17-year-old passenger who was riding with Rivas at the time of the crash. She tells us the teen is expected to be OK.
Prosecutors say the teen is a witness.
Neither the Harris County District Attorney’s Office nor Houston Police will tell KHOU 11 News where the two were allegedly drinking before the crash. The teen’s family member said she did not know where they were drinking.
“If evidence is presented and we obtain evidence, that they were serving an underage person, especially to the point of intoxication, we will seek recourse,” said Harris County prosecutor Sean Teare.
“She’s constantly crying,” said Rivas’ attorney Sam Adamo. “Breaking down, getting emotional, she feels awful.”
"This is just an unspeakable tragedy, it really is,” Teare said. “And one of the worst parts about it, is it’s totally preventable. Any number of ways it could have stopped before it ended in this.”
If convicted, Rivas could face up to two to 20 years in prison.