Murder and drunken driving charges have been filed against a 21-year-old woman accused of causing a collision in Santa Clarita that killed a mother of six, who was headed home after visiting her premature twins in a hospital.
Alexia Alilah Cina of Canyon Country could face up to 18 years to life in prison if convicted of one felony count each of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury and driving with a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content causing injury.
The defendant, who was arrested Wednesday, was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of $2.1 million bail.
Cina was allegedly speeding southbound on Golden Valley Road when her car struck the center median and crashed head-on into Katie Snyder Evans’ vehicle on the northbound side of the road.
Jacob Evans told reporters that his wife was returning from a visit with her twin daughters, who were born prematurely in August, when the Oct. 6 collision occurred. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A third vehicle struck the two Hondas involved in the initial crash. One person suffered critical injuries and another suffered minor injuries in the secondary crash, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Sheriff’s traffic investigators “determined alcohol appeared to be a factor in the (first) collision,” said Shirley Miller, public information officer for the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s station. She said toxicology test results revealed Cina had a blood-alcohol content of 0.21, well above the legal limit of 0.08.
Cinae is due back in a San Fernando courtroom Nov. 30, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to require her to stand trial.
–City News Service