A former Florida youth pastor has been arrested and charged months after a high-speed crash that killed his 8-year-old daughter while his three children were riding in the same vehicle, according to authorities.
Joel Leiniz, 38, was taken into custody on Sunday and is facing charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in connection with the fatal collision that occurred on Jan. 17 in West Palm Beach.
According to a criminal complaint, Leiniz was driving his three children in an Audi Q7 SUV after the family attended a church concert. They were reportedly on their way to a taco restaurant when the crash happened along Military Trail.
Investigators said Leiniz told officers that he swerved to avoid another vehicle before losing control and crashing into a concrete utility pole. A security guard working near the scene told police he saw the SUV swerve to avoid another vehicle, and surveillance footage also appeared to support that part of Leiniz’s account.
Despite that, investigators concluded that excessive speed and impairment were major factors in the crash.
Authorities said Leiniz’s 8-year-old daughter, Zoe, was sitting in the back seat with her siblings. She suffered severe injuries in the collision and was taken to a hospital, where she later died. Police also determined that one of the three children in the SUV was not wearing a seat belt, although officials have not said which child.
During the investigation, officers reviewed data from the SUV’s event data recorder, commonly known as a vehicle’s “black box.” The data allegedly showed that Leiniz was traveling 104 mph in a 40 mph zone just before the crash. Investigators also found that he applied the brakes about two seconds before the vehicle struck the concrete pole.
Police said Leiniz told investigators at the hospital that he did not believe he had been speeding because his children were in the vehicle.
Authorities also obtained blood test results and medical records, which allegedly showed Leiniz had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.097, above Florida’s legal driving limit of 0.08, at the time of the crash.
Local reports identified Leiniz as a former youth pastor and ministry director at New Covenant Church. His family had previously endured another tragedy after his wife reportedly died from cancer about a year before the crash. According to local media, the family had been relying on Social Security benefits and community donations following her death.
Leiniz is being held at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Main Detention Center on a $75,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 18 as the criminal case moves forward.
