A former South Florida youth pastor has been arrested and charged with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter after investigators say he was drunk and driving 104 mph when he crashed into a concrete pole in January, killing his 8-year-old daughter.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Joel Leiniz, 38, was arrested following an investigation into the Jan. 17 crash on South Military Trail near West Palm Beach. According to jail records cited by NBC 6 South Florida, Leiniz was taken into custody Sunday, July 19, on charges of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter.
According to an arrest report, Leiniz was driving an Audi Q7 in the 2600 block of South Military Trail shortly before 10 p.m. when the crash occurred. He told deputies his three children were in the back seat as they drove from a church concert to a restaurant when he swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle and lost control. According to WPTV, the family was headed to Tacos Al Carbon at the time.
The SUV struck a pole and caught fire, according to investigators. Leiniz’s daughter, Zoe, was pronounced dead about an hour later from injuries sustained in the crash, according to the affidavit. Leiniz and his two other daughters were hospitalized. According to Local 10 News, fire rescue personnel transported Leiniz, of Margate, and his three daughters to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
Leiniz denied speeding, according to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, telling police he “did not think he was speeding because he had kids in the car.” However, according to investigators, the vehicle’s event data recorder showed the SUV was traveling 104 mph in a 40 mph zone approximately five seconds before impact, with the anti-lock braking system activating just two seconds before the crash. Blood tests revealed Leiniz had a blood alcohol level of .083, above Florida’s legal limit of .08.
The crash compounded a series of family tragedies. According to Local 10 News, Leiniz is a widower whose high school sweetheart died of metastatic breast cancer last year. According to The Christian Post, Leiniz and his late wife, Sasha, both worked at New Covenant Church before her death about a year before the crash.
Leiniz appeared in bond court Monday, where, according to Palm Beach County deputies, Circuit Judge Donald Hafele set his bail at $150,000 — $75,000 for each charge. He has pleaded not guilty. According to CBS News Miami, as a condition of his release, the judge ordered that Leiniz have no contact with his surviving daughters while the case is pending, with the Florida Department of Children and Families overseeing any visitation arrangements.
According to his attorney’s statements in court reported by CBS12, Leiniz is an unemployed, widowed single father who relies on Social Security survivor benefits for his children and the assistance of his live-in parents and sister. According to Local 10 News, Circuit Judge Sherri L. Collins is set to preside over the case.
