JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than a year after four young adults from Jacksonville were killed in a crash in the town of Bell, an arrest has been made, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Blake Delapaz, 21, was arrested Friday and charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide, among other charges. Records show he was held in the Duval County jail Friday night on a $950,000 bond.
Troopers said Delapaz failed to stop at a stop sign on County Road 340 in Gilchrest County and was speeding when the Chevy Impala he was driving collided with a Ford Explorer.
Four people riding in the Impala -- Cameron Bell, 18, Isabella Garcia, 19, Alysia Littlejohn, 20, and Hayden Raulerson, 21, -- died in the crash, troopers said. No one in the car was wearing a seat belt. Delapaz had critical injuries.
The FHP report shows the driver of the Explorer, who lives in Trenton, was seriously hurt.
Raulerson was a student at the University of North Florida and a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Friends and loved ones honored him during a vigil on the university campus.
Howard Christie witnessed the crash.
“The vehicle that was on 340 ran through a stop sign at a flashing red light and was broadsided just beyond the fender by the Explorer, as it impacted it, it rolled down the hill,” Christie said in a phone interview with News4Jax.
As Christie sat in his car he saw the crash, then the Impala rolled down the hill, everyone was ejected out of the car except Delapaz. He was partially ejected and the only person in the Impala who survived.
Christie got out of his car and ran to help. He said most of the passengers appeared to be dead.
For months the families of Raulerson, Bell, Garcia and Littlejohn have been waiting to know who caused the crash. Now they know it was their children’s friend.
Their families are heartbroken.
Alysia’s mother, Elinor Littlejohn, issued a statement to News4Jax:
“Today, we were notified of the arrest of Blake Delapaz in connection with the tragic crash that killed my baby Alysia Littlejohn and 3 of her friends last June. It has been a long and difficult wait for the family to learn of the results of the Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation. Although the next couple of months will be difficult, we stand with the other families in seeking justice for the senseless deaths of loved ones.”
Isabella Garia’s family said they don’t want to talk, instead, they want to sit with family and mourn this tragedy.
Delapaz is facing multiple charges including DUI and vehicular homicide. His first appearance is Saturday at 1 p.m.