Mom of 20-year-old killed in 2018 DUI crash starts foundation in daughter’s name

In The Blink Of An Eye ‘The Alysia Littlejohn Foundation’ to host 5K event in February

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The mother of a 20-year-old woman who was killed in a 2018 DUI crash that also claimed the lives of three of her friends has launched a foundation in her daughter’s name that hopes to prevent others from enduring the same fate.

Alysia Littlejohn was riding in a Chevy Impala driven by Blake Delapaz in June 2018 when it crashed, killing Littlejohn, Cameron Bell, 18, Isabella Garcia, 19 and Hayden Raulerson, 21.

Troopers said Delapaz, who had been drinking, failed to stop at a stop sign on County Road 340 in Gilchrist County and was speeding when the Impala collided with a Ford Explorer.

RELATED: Mom of DUI crash victim: ‘We are walking zombies of heartache’

He eventually pleaded guilty to four counts of DUI manslaughter and was sentenced in December 2021 to 15 years in prison.

Department of Corrections photo of Blake Delapaz (WJXT)

No one in the car was wearing a seat belt. Delapaz was critically injured but was the only one in the car to survive.

“You don’t have to be a bad person to make a bad choice,” Elinor Littlejohn said.

Now, Littlejohn’s mother, Elinor Littlejohn, has launched the In The Blink Of An Eye “The Alysia Littlejohn Foundation,” a nonprofit to share Alysia’s story to educate others and spread awareness about the dangers of riding with drivers under the influence. The foundation said that the initiative is unique and much-needed, and its aim is to make it a new movement.

“I’m very passionate about helping save lives,” Elinor said. “I don’t want anyone, no family to go through what we have to go through.”

The foundation also aims to help families during times of crisis with the loss of a child because of RWDUI or DUI and improve education on seat belt safety.

Alysia was also passionate about sea turtle conservation, so the foundation plans to work alongside other organizations to keep beaches clean and save turtles.

On Feb. 11, the foundation will host its first 5K run/walk event co-sponsored by the city of Jacksonville Beach.

For more information, visit https://www.intheblinkofaneyeinc.org/.


About the Authors:

I-TEAM and general assignment reporter

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.