MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An 18-year-old was arrested Thursday, months after a car crash in southwest Miami-Dade killed a 17-year-old student of Somerset Academy Silver Palms.
Christopher Mejias, who turned 18 just a month before the Nov. 10 crash, faces charges of DUI manslaughter, DUI causing serious bodily injury and DUI while accompanied by a minor in the vehicle.
According to his arrest warrant, Mejias was under the influence of alcohol when he crashed his white Ford Mustang in the 10400 block of Southwest 162nd Avenue.
According to his arrest warrant, Mejias veered to the left, drove over the sidewalk and struck a tree.
He and the victim, Alex Carreras Jr., were taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where Carreras died.
“Amazing young man, great future, had a scholarship to play football, 4.2 GPA,” the victim’s father, Alex Carreras Sr., said outside the courtroom Friday.
A 17-year-old passenger who was sitting in the backseat of the car was taken to another hospital after he complained of wrist pain, authorities said.
According to the arrest warrant, a friend who was following Mejias’ car told police they were coming from a party.
Police officers said they could smell the odor of alcohol coming from Mejias’ breath and said that he had slurred speech.
Blood samples were collected, which verified that Mejias had been drinking before the crash, the arrest warrant stated.
According to the warrant, Mejias did not hit the brake before crashing and was traveling at a speed of 59.6 mph right before impact.
Mejias appeared in court Friday and was ordered held in lieu of a $75,000 bond. If he posts bail, he will not be allowed to drive. He has also been ordered to surrender his passport.
“I don’t know what is the right punishment, you know, for him -- for us, it’s life," Carreras Sr. said.