RALEIGH, NC : Family mourns victims killed in Raleigh triple-fatal DWI crash on Sunday, 21st August, 2016

Family and friends are mourning and praying for recovery after three people were killed and three others injured in what police are calling a drunk driving crash Sunday morning in Raleigh.The crash happened at approximately 2:30 a.m. near the intersection of Highwoods Boulevard and Poplarwood Court near Capital Boulevard.A police wreck report said that 7 people — including the driver — were in the SUV during the crash, including a young woman who was on the lap of someone riding the back seat.

Police said two people were ejected when the 1995 Isuzu Rodeo SUV crashed and flipped. A young woman and two young men died in the crash.

Nelson Darinel Velazquez, 21, of Dudley, Tomas Rivera Jr., 18, of Newton Grove and a woman, Paula Bautista, 22, of Benson all died in the crash, according to a Raleigh police report.

Jaciel Espino-Montes, 22, of Goldsboro was charged with three counts of aggravated felony death by motor vehicle, three counts of aggravated serious injury by motor vehicle and driving while impaired.

Two teen girls and a 21-year-old woman survived the crash, in addition to the driver, according to police.

“It doesn’t seem real, I still feel like she’s still here,” said Isabel Juarez, a friend of Bautista. “I just don’t want to believe it.”

Juarez, who is also sisters with one of the teens who was injured, says the group was coming home from a nightclub and she was almost in the car with them.

“Paula was telling me, ‘Let’s go, let’s go,’” said Juarez. “But I told her I couldn’t because I was sick. I never went.”

Bautista was working multiple jobs so she could bring her young daughter to the United States from Mexico, according to Juarez.

Through an interpreter, the parents of 18-year-old Tomas Rivera told CBS North Carolina their son was also working to help out his family.

“He wanted to work hard to provide for his family and provide for himself and to actually have something of his own in this country,” said Rivera’s Mother Belen Espino.

The driver, Jaciel Espino-Montes, who is also Rivera’s cousin, faced a judge for the first time on Monday and is being held in jail on a $750,000 bond.

On Monday, the suspect’s heartbroken father, who says he’s the pastor of a Newton Grove Church, offered what comfort he could to all the families involved.

“…we got to make sure all the families are OK …I know every family is crying now …we still great for everybody… I’m a Christian man …I’m upset for my son and all the people who die…we’re going to pray much for all the people,” said Aras Espino.

And while many families’ hearts are broken, they say they hope this crash shows others the consequences of drinking and driving.

“If they are drinking alcohol, and if they’re taking any other things, they shouldn’t drive,” said Belen Espino. “Because it could happen to them, the same thing that happened to my son.”

All victims, except for one teen girl, have been discharged from the hospital.

A police report said the Isuzu was traveling straight on Highwoods Boulevard at 50 mph when it went off the road to the right. The driver then over-corrected, and the SUV went off the road to the left, hitting a light pole, street sign and a tree while still traveling at 50 mph.

The vehicle then overturned and two people were ejected, according to the report. The speed limit on the road is 35 mph.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on Espino-Montes and will pick him up once the North Carolina justice system is through with him, CBS North Carolina confirmed on Monday.


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Family mourns victims killed in Raleigh triple-fatal DWI crash