Prosecutors charged a man suspected of driving while intoxicated when he crashed into a light pole in Colton, leaving his 5-year-old daughter dead and one other child injured, with murder, child endangerment and felony DUI, officials said Tuesday, April 13.
Ernesto Avalos, 28, of Twin Peaks, was injured in the collision on the 900 block of South Cooley Drive at about 2:25 p.m. Sunday April 11, and was arrested following his release from a hospital the next day, Colton police said in a news release. He is the father of Alexa Adalia Avalos, the girl who was killed in the crash, as well as a young boy who was riding with them and hospitalized over the weekend, Colton Police Lt. Ray Mendez said.
Witnesses told investigators the Toyota 4Runner driven by the defendant rolled over a raised center median and blew past a stop sign before slamming into a pole, Mendez said. Preliminary investigation suggests he may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time, although police have not ruled out the possibility that other substances might have played a role in the crash, Mendez said.
Avalos has previously been arrested on suspicion of DUI, and was already charged with driving under the influence on Feb. 2, 2021, which is still open, according to court records. Prosecutors filed additional charges associated with the crash that killed his daughter in a new case filed Tuesday.
It was not immediately clear from public records if an attorney had been assigned to defend him, or when he was next scheduled to appear in court.
