201911.12
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Murder charges filed against suspected DUI driver in deaths of Long Beach family of 3

by in News

A 20-year-old man faces murder charges among six felony counts filed Tuesday in connection with the deaths of a family of three in a suspected DUI crash on Halloween in Long Beach, authorities said.

Carlo Adrian Navarro was charged with three counts each of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges include an allegation of causing death to multiple victims, according to prosecutors.

Navarro is scheduled to enter a plea to the charges in Long Beach Superior Court on Wednesday, Nov. 13, and prosecutors plan to ask that he continue to be held on no bail, said Paul Eakins, a spokesman for the DA’s office.

He faces a possible maximum sentence of 45 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.

  • Vera Awaida, Joseph Awaida’s mother, center, is comforted at a candlelight vigil at Los Cerritos Park for the Awaida family in Long Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. Joseph Awaida, 30, his wife, Raihan Dakhil, 32, and their son, Omar, 3, died on Halloween after being struck by a suspected drunk driver. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • Flowers, a candle, a teddy bear and photos are seen during a vigil for the Awaidas family at Isabel Patterson Child Development Center, where the Awaidas’ three-year-old son attended preschool, at California State University Long Beach on Tuesday, November 05, 2019. The family of three were killed while trick-or-treating on Halloween in Long Beach. (Photo by Ana P. Garcia, Contributing Photographer)

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  • Cecilia Ramos, aunt of Joseph Awaida who was killed along with his wife Raihan and son Omar, by a suspected drunk driver on Halloween night. Ramos spoke to the media on behalf of the family, outside the courthouse where the suspect, Carlo Navarro did not appear in the courtroom and arraignment on non related charges were postponed,
    in Long Beach on Thursday, November. 7, 2019. (Photo by Brittany MurrayPress-Telegram/SCNG)

  • Hundreds attend a candlelight vigil at Los Cerritos Park for the Awaida family in Long Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. Joseph Awaida, 30, his wife, Raihan Dakhil, 32, and their son, Omar, 3, died on Halloween after being struck by a suspected drunk driver. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • Hundreds attend a candlelight vigil at Los Cerritos Park for the Awaida family in Long Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. Joseph Awaida, 30, his wife, Raihan Dakhil, 32, and their son, Omar, 3, died on Halloween after being struck by a suspected drunk driver. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • Joseph Awaida (left), 30, and his 3-year-old son Omar (middle), were fatally injured in a DUI crash on Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31, in Long Beach. Awaida’s 32-year-old wife, right, also died Sunday, reports said. Her name is Raihan, according to a GoFundMe page for the family. (Photo courtesy of GoFundMe)

  • Raihan Dakhil (left), Joseph Awaida (right) and son Omar died after they were hit by a suspected drunk driver while walking home from a relative’s house on Halloween. (Courtesy of Cecilia Ramos)

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Navarro was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol when he failed to negotiate a turn near Country Club Drive and Los Cerritos Park Place about 10 p.m. on Oct. 31, police said. His SUV barreled onto the sidewalk, striking 30-year-old Joseph Awaida, 32-year-old Raihan Dakhil and their 3-year-old son, Omar Awaida.

Joseph Awaida died the night of the crash, Omar died on Nov. 2 and Dakhil died Nov. 3, authorities said.

The Bixby Knolls family was walking across Los Cerritos Park to their condo after visiting relatives for Halloween festivities, according to Joseph Awaida’s aunt, Cecilia Ramos.

She said the family was about 100 steps from the front door of their condo when the crash occurred. She saw live video on Facebook of first-responders rendering aid to the victims, not knowing immediately that they were her family members.

She then ran over to their condo, pounding on the doors and windows until police walked over and informed her the victims were her family members, she said.

That video has since been taken down at the request of family members, Ramos said.

Navarro was arrested the night of the crash on suspicion of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter, but was released on $100,000 bail the following day, jail records showed.

But he was arrested again on Nov. 5 after city prosecutors issued a $500,000 arrest warrant for him in connection with a June 30 arrest on suspicion of burglary and vandalism.

Navarro was scheduled to make a court appearance on those charges on Nov. 7 but his arraignment was postponed and a judge allowed him to stay out of sight of the courtroom while a public defender appeared on his behalf.

His next appearance on the burglary and vandalism charges was scheduled for Dec. 4.