Background: The victims' Nissan Rogue after the crash on I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia (WTTG/YouTube). Inset (from left): Danna Palacios and Ruby Palacios (GoFundMe).
A Marine in Virginia is accused of driving drunk at more than 100 mph before smashing into the back of a vehicle and killing a mother and her young daughter.
Malik Thomas, 25, has been charged with driving while intoxicated and two counts of involuntary manslaughter involving DUI, Virginia State Police (VSP) announced.
The victims were identified in a GoFundMe and in reporting from regional Fox affiliate WTTG as 27-year-old Danna Palacios and her 3-year-old daughter Ruby Palacios.
On Friday at about 1:50 a.m., Palacios, her fiance and her daughter were inside a Nissan Rogue on I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia, about 40 miles south of Washington, D.C. Palacios' fiance was driving.
At the same time, Thomas was allegedly driving a Dodge Charger "at a high rate of speed."
Prosecutors said in court on Monday that Thomas' Charger surpassed 100 mph when he smashed into the back of the Palacios' Nissan, per local NBC affiliate WRC.
"The Rogue then went off of the left side of the interstate and overturned," according to police. Palacios died at the scene, and Ruby was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she died.
Palacios' fiance "suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital." His current condition is unclear. Photos released by VSP showed the Nissan destroyed, crumpled into a near-box shape.
Authorities said Thomas had a blood alcohol level of 0.17 after the crash, which is more than twice the legal limit. The U.S. Marine Corps confirmed to WRC that he was an active-duty Marine.
VSP said Thomas was uninjured in the crash. He appeared in court on Monday and was denied bail.
He is due back in court Thursday, and another hearing is scheduled for February.
The fundraiser set up for the family called the mother's and daughter's deaths an "unimaginable loss."
Comments