ORLANDO, Fla. – Dozens of people took part in a walk Sunday morning at Blue Jacket Park in Orlando, hoping to put an end to drunken driving.
The event was hosted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Central Florida, or M.A.D.D.
Kristi McElroy helped organize Sunday’s walk. She’s a former Osceola County Sheriff’s Office sergeant and said the number of DUI crashes nationwide has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“It’s going up 14% in 2020, and 14% again in 2021, so we are over 13,000 people have been killed,” McElroy said. “People are losing their lives on a 100% preventable crime.”
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Marion Areizaga said she misses her 18-year-old daughter, Angelina Anderson, so much.
She took part in this year’s “Walk Like MADD” event at Blue Jacket Park.
Her daughter was killed on Dec. 24, 2021. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Jerrod James was under the influence when he crashed on U.S. 192 and Vineland Road in Osceola County. The crash killed Areizaga’s daughter, Angelina, and another woman.
Troopers later issued an arrest warrant for James, who is still out there at last check.
“You don’t only take their lives, you kill their families too. We’re all broken. We all died that day,” Areizaga said. “Angelina was the baby of eight.”
Areizaga said her daughter had just finished high school. She was in the JROTC, loved to travel and wanted to be a real estate broker.
Her family is calling for justice.
“Nobody is saying ‘Stop, don’t live life,’ but just remember that you can hurt yourself and others, so just don’t do it,” said Anderson’s sister, Desire Lee.
Local law enforcement was also at Sunday’s walk. Many brought out their DUI enforcement units and are hoping for no more victims.
An Osceola County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle was parked at the walk. Investigators said the car was hit by a drunk driver in January while deputies were responding to a call. No one was seriously hurt.
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