An underage driver has been arrested in connection to the DUI hit-and-run deaths of a family on Halloween night, and so has the woman who sold him the alcohol prior to the crash.
KTLA in Los Angeles reports that Amor Potestades Amacio, 56, who worked at the Green Diamond Liquor Store in Long Beach, sold alcohol to 20-year-old Carlo Navarro on the night of October 31st.
Just hours later, Navarro was arrested after he allegedly struck three family members who were walking on a sidewalk along Country Club Drive with his Toyota Sequoia SUV.
Over the course of three days, Raihan Dakhil Awaida,32, Joseph Awaida, 30, and their 3-year-old son, Omar, all died from injuries they suffered in the crash. Navarro was charged with three counts of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
As a part of the ongoing investigation into the deaths of the Awaida family, the Long Beach Police Department began looking into how Navarro was able to obtain alcohol that night.
Through obtaining surveillance video, conducting interviews, and examining the evidence surrounding the tragic case, investigators identified Amacio as the person who sold alcohol to Navarro. She was placed under arrest on Tuesday, December 17th on suspicion of having sold alcohol to a minor resulting in great bodily injury or death. The court has set Amacio’s bail at $100,000.
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According to California’s Dram Shop Law and statutes laid out by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Green Diamond Liquor Store will also face disciplinary action against its liquor license. As a result of the October 31st crash, Green Diamond could have their license suspended or revoked.
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