Crime & Safety
Entire Family Killed By Alleged DUI Driver In Long Beach
The woman died shortly after her husband and 3-year-old son. The family was hit on a sidewalk by an alleged drunken driver on Halloween.
LONG BEACH, CA — A 32-year-old woman whose husband and son were killed when the family was struck on a Long Beach sidewalk by an alleged drunken driver on Halloween night has also died, her family told NBC4 reporters.
Raihan Dakhil died at a hospital, the station reported. It was unclear when she was pronounced dead.
Dakhil's husband, 30-year-old Joseph Awaida, died shortly after being struck by the SUV. Her 3-year-old son, Omar Awaida, died Saturday at a hospital.
Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The collision occurred at 9:55 p.m. Thursday in the area of Country Club Drive and Los Cerritos Park Place, where responding officers found the family lying on the ground, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Police determined that 20-year-old Carlo Adrian Navarro of Long Beach was at the wheel of a 2002 Toyota Sequoia headed southbound on Country Club Drive and failed to make a turn. Instead, he drove onto the sidewalk and hit the family as they walked from Los Cerritos Park Place.
Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Navarro was detained at the scene and later arrested for allegedly driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter. He was jailed on $100,000 bail. He posted bond and was released Friday, according to the Sheriff's Inmate Information Center.
Friends of the Long Beach family are collecting money to help cover funeral and medical costs. More than $166,000 from more than 2,800 different donors was collected within a day of the GoFundMe.com page being set up.
The Awaida family is part of the local Muslim community and own Joe's Auto Center in Long Beach. The GoFundMe post says the fund is for "medical, funeral and other financial burdens the family will have to endure as a result of this tragedy." An update posted later said, "In response to the overwhelming generosity this campaign is receiving, the family intends to use any excess funds (beyond the above stated scope) towards a lasting legacy project (Sadaqa Jariya), to be determined in the near future. Thank you again for your support."
A public candlelight vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Los Cerritos Park, 3750 Del Mar Ave. in Long Beach.
City News Service
