Driver who killed 3 young children in Indian Head Highway crash pleads guilty

OXON HILL, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - A man who was drunk behind the wheel during a crash that took the lives of three young children and seriously injured their parents pleaded guilty on Monday.

Thomas Hawks faces up to 36 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of causing serious bodily harm while under the influence.

Hawks' blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit when he decided to drive home to White Plains, Md. from a Redskins game the night of December 30.

When officers arrived at the scene of the crash, they say Hawks was on his phone saying "I messed up" over and over again.

Police say they had to forcibly remove him from his vehicle.

They say Hawks admitted that he drank at least 10 beers before passing out in a police cruiser.

The Mejia family was headed home from church when he rear-ended them, killing 5-year-old twins Alexander and Rosalie, and their 1-year-old brother, Isaac Abraham.

Juana and Alexis Mejia were seriously injured, each spending more than a week in the hospital.

Juana and Alexis Mejia were seriously injured- each spending more than a week in the hospital.