A 16-year old California girl was killed in her bed Sunday when an SUV driven by an allegedly drunk driver slammed into her bedroom as she slept, authorities said.
A vigil was held Sunday night for Giselle Mendosa, a sophomore at Palmdale High School. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the 20-year old suspect, Roberto Rodriguez, slammed his car into the Palmdale apartment complex, killing the high schooler and damaging two apartments, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sheriff’s officials told NBC that Rodriguez’s blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit, and witnesses say he may have been driving up to 80 miles an hour.
Rodriguez is due in court Tuesday on vehicular manslaughter and DUI charges. He was released on $100,000 bail.
“Sincerely, I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention. Just, I’m sorry,” Rodriguez told NBC4’s Gadi Schwartz, though he would not answer questions about his alcohol levels.
[NBC]
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Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com