The family from Orange County, whose matriarch was slain on New Year’s Day when she was struck and killed by a drunk driver while returning home from church, is demanding justice, claiming that being detained is insufficient.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the collision occurred at the intersection of Marguerite Parkway and Pueblonuevo Drive at approximately 1:40 a.m.
When officers arrived, they discovered that two automobiles had crashed head-on, seriously injuring Ynes Laguna-Soto, 66. Her family was devastated when she passed away after being taken to a local hospital.
“My grandma was like an angel for the other people,” the victim’s granddaughter, Xiamena Granados, said. “She could have hurt other people too.”
Geraldine Caicedo-Perez, 26, has already been identified as the second motorist. She was hurt in the collision but managed to survive. According to deputies, she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and then charged with gross vehicular manslaughter.
Family members fear that if she is released, she would harm another family the way she harmed theirs, therefore they hope that she be held responsible.
Soto’s grandson, Emmanuel Heredia, believes that driving under the influence is never justified and that the woman’s actions were extremely self-serving.
They remember Ynes as the family’s lighthouse who always went above and beyond to support others as they work through their sadness.
“She was always sharing the gospel, going around the whole community and sharing the gospel to the people who just were in bad places,” Granados stated. “She helped a lot of people and touched a lot of hearts.”
Caicedo-Perez’s bond and court date were not accessible when KCAL News sought jail records to determine if she was still in custody. Her booking has been confirmed by deputies.
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