District Attorney Pete Weir announced that charges have been filed in the vehicular homicide death of two-year-old Sophia Avila in August, 2018. The child’s mother, Samantha Miranda Maestas, DOB: 12-8-89, has been charged with Vehicular Homicide-DUI (F3); Child Abuse Resulting in Death (F3); Possession of a Controlled Substance (DF4); DUI; two counts of Careless Driving Resulting in Injury(T1); Driving under Restraint; Divided Highway Violation; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
On August 10, 2018 Samantha Maestas was driving eastbound on I70 just west of the Genesee exit as she began approaching heavy traffic. According to the arrest affidavit, she took evasive action to avoid a rear-end collision, over-corrected, and lost control of her car. She then crossed the median, going into the west bound lanes of I70 where she collided with a GMC Sierra.
Ms. Maestas is alleged to have used drugs and/or alcohol prior to the collision.
Samantha Avila was a passenger in the back seat of the car driven by Ms. Maestas. She was severely injured in the collision and from her injuries. The driver and passenger in the GMC Sierra each suffered minor injuries.
An arrest warrant was issued for Ms. Maestas on January 19, 2019. Bond was set in the amount of $15,000.
The filing of a criminal charge is merely a formal accusation that an individual has committed a crime(s). A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. See Colo. RPC 3.6.
