Man accused of killing 14-year-old girl while driving drunk in Newport Beach – NBC Los Angeles

Heartbroken father of 14-year-old girl who was killed by suspected drunk driver speaks out on tragedy as man behind the wheel now faces murder charge in connection with the death of Newport Beach.

Joseph Alcazar, 30, of Fontana, is a two-time convicted drunk driver and was found driving with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.

The victim was identified as Rosenda Elizabeth Smiley, 14, of Rialto. Smiley, accompanied by three others, was crossing East Balboa Boulevard toward the No Walking sign. A driver stopped to let them cross and Alcazar drove around the car, hitting Smiley and the foot of a 13-year-old girl.

“They were all at the beach and decided they were going to get pizza, and Rose, Alexa and Sarah ran to the car to change out of their wet clothes and that's how it happened.” , said Fillmore Smiley, the child's father. fatal victim.

The Smiley family, as well as the young teenager's friends, are now grappling with their grief.

“Why my baby? Why my little girl, so soon? Wrong place, wrong time, wrong circumstances,” Fillmore told NBC4.

The devastated father said his daughter knew what she wanted for her future. She knew what colleges she wanted to attend, what year she wanted to travel, and that she wanted to spend a semester at sea.

“She was precocious, stubborn, opinionated, fiery,” Fillmore said of Rosenda, “At the same time, loving, caring, passionate, compassionate, talented and artistic.”

The suspect stopped shortly after hitting Smiley. The driver's 8-year-old daughter and another man were in the vehicle at the time of the fatal collision.

A 14-year-old girl has died after being struck by a vehicle in Newport Beach.

“A 14-year-old girl living the California dream and enjoying a day of sun and sand at the beach with friends to start the summer died because of the selfish decision of a stranger,” said the Orange County Prosecutor Todd Spitzer. . “A multiple drunk driver not only killed a little girl, but also endangered his own daughter's life by getting behind the wheel after drinking and traumatizing her and the other young girls who crashed with him. seen hitting and killing a teenage girl.

Alcazar was charged with one count of murder, one count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing serious bodily injury with two prior convictions, one count of driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol level of .08 or greater with two prior convictions and one misdemeanor count of willfully endangering a child.

The driver faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life, plus six years if convicted on all counts.