Azusa police arrest man accused of crashing his car while drunk, killing 2 of his kids
Azusa police on Monday arrested a man suspected of driving his car into a ravine while drunk on the Fourth of July, killing two of his children, authorities said.
Arcadio Varela Caliz, 31, of Los Angeles was arrested at the Azusa police station, the Azusa Police Department said in a statement.
The crash happened at about 7:30 p.m. near the intersection of San Gabriel Canyon Road and Mountain Laurel Way, police said. A single vehicle drove off the roadway, going down a steep ravine and landing on its roof.
When officer arrived and climbed down the hillside, they found five people, including Caliz, all outside the vehicle.
Christopher Caliz Martinez, 8, and Andrea Caliz Martinez, 12, were dead, authorities said. It was Andrea’s birthday that day.
The children’s mother, 32-year-old Marbella Martinez, and 13-year-old sister, who has not been named, survived the crash.
Caliz, an unlicensed driver, smelled of alcohol when authorities arrived and was believed to have been speeding at the time of the crash, according to the Azusa police department.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has filed two counts of murder against Caliz. His bail has been set at $2 million.
Twitter: @haileybranson | Google+
ALSO
Woman convicted in baby-selling case sentenced for running puppy mill
LAPD shooting: Officers feared ambush after seeing video, attorney says
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
