Parents of children killed in Indian Head Highway DUI crash speak out
OXON HILL, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The parents of three children killed by a drunk driver on Indian Head Highway in December on Monday are sharing the memories of their children and reacting to the indictment of the man police say was behind the wheel.
Alexis and Juanita Mejia are calling for changes along the stretch of road that they crashed on.
The family was returning home from church when a drunk driver's actions changed them forever.
"Now my husband won't have a daughter to walk down the aisle. I won't have my two beautiful boys to watch graduate from college and we had so many plans with them," Juanita Mejia said.
The couple saw bright futures for their children - one that included graduations, weddings, and family trips.
But that future was cut terribly short when an alleged drunk driver rear-ended the Mejias on Indian Head Highway on Dec. 30.
The crash killed 5-year-old twins Rosalie and Alexander, and 13-month-old Isaac.
"I didn't even think that a heart could take this much pain at once losing not just one child but all three of my beautiful children," Juanita Mejia said.
The crash also left Juanita and Alexis with critical injuries and a months-long road to a full recovery.
The couple says their faith in God and the support from family and thousands of strangers are helping them heal - so are the memories of their little ones.
"We were coming home from church that night of the accident so you can imagine my beautiful babies praised the Lord until the last day of their life," Juanita said.
Thursday, the Prince George's County State's Attorney's office announced that a grand jury has charged Thomas Hawks of White Plains, Md. with vehicular manslaughter.
Police say his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit
The Mejias say investigators told them Hawks was coming from a Redskins game when he slammed into them.
"My wife and I now have to live with this pain that will never go away and I just hope that whatever the outcome is through whatever justice is going to do that that sends a message worldwide to please be responsible," Alexis Mejia said.
The Mejias thanked the public for their support in helping them get through.
Hawks is expected to turn himself in to the authorities.