Newly released surveillance video is offering a clearer picture of what happened on New Year’s Eve in 2024, when a car plunged into a lake outside an apartment complex in Hialeah Gardens. The crash led to the death of 69-year-old Elsa Pintor and resulted in serious criminal charges for the driver, her longtime friend, 73-year-old Julia Vega.
Vega is facing DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges after authorities said she caused the crash shortly before 11 p.m. on December 31. The incident took place in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 9900 block of W. Okeechobee Road. The newly obtained video shows Vega’s vehicle approaching a metal fence at a slow pace before suddenly accelerating, hitting a yellow retainer pole, and breaking through a chain-link fence.
Moments later, the car disappeared into the lake. Records state that Vega managed to escape through the driver’s side window as the vehicle began to sink. An officer arrived quickly and used a rope to pull her out of the water. Pintor, seated on the passenger side, was unable to get out in time.
Body camera footage captured Vega asking, “Did my friend die?” while officers assessed the scene. Investigators noted clear signs of impairment, including slurred speech, unsteady balance, and bloodshot, watery eyes. When informed she would undergo DUI testing, Vega said, “I’m not drunk, we only had wine at Cooper’s Hawk.”
According to the arrest report, Vega struggled through field sobriety exercises. Officers then obtained a search warrant to collect blood samples. During the testing process, she questioned officers, asking, “Why do you keep me here so long?” and “Why are you doing this in front of everybody?”
Toxicology results later confirmed her blood alcohol level measured 0.148, and then 0.146 an hour later. Both readings were nearly twice Florida’s legal limit of 0.08. Tests also detected Alprazolam, a prescription medication commonly used to treat anxiety disorders.
Court documents revealed a heartbreaking connection between the families: Vega’s daughter and Pintor’s son are married, and the two women share grandchildren.
On Tuesday, attorney Hilton Napoleon released a statement on behalf of Vega’s legal team. Ms. Vega and the victim were best friends who also shared grandchildren together. This incident caused a devastating loss to the family. The family asks for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult moment, and asks that you respect their privacy.”
A tentative trial date is set for December. Vega has pleaded not guilty.
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