Driver charged with DWI after crash kills family of 3 in Hoke County
HOKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Highway Patrol confirms a family of three was killed in a crash in Hoke County Friday night.
The Oxendine's were killed minutes after a family outing. They just finished having dinner at a restaurant and were heading home.
Authorities say the family, from Raeford, was traveling along North Old Wire Road just before 10 p.m. when another car failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into them.
Mary Ann, 40, Jamie, 43, and 17-year-old Austin Oxendine were all killed.
"They was coming this way coming home, right up the road they would have been home," said family-friend Sherry Williams. "You hear about one family member getting killed, maybe two but the whole family...the whole family."
Investigators say the teen was not wearing a seat belt.
The cars careened onto Kelvin "Ray" Crumpler's front yard.
"The ford ranger struck them on the passenger side," said Crumpler.
Crumpler was hoping he could help in some way. As a detective with the Raeford Police Department, he's trained for these types of situations.
"They looked like [they died] on impact. It was pretty much instant," said Crumpler.
Rodolofo Marin Vela, 29, has been arrested and charged with driving while impaired and three counts of felony death by vehicle, among other charges.
Highway Patrol says when Vela slammed in the Oxendine's car, he was speeding and drinking. Troopers found an open container of alcohol in his truck.
Highway Patrol also said that Vela shouldn't have been behind the wheel and does not have a license.
"To know that he took them children's mom and daddy and brother...he's going to have to pay for that. He's the one sitting in jail today and he's going to have to live with that knowing that he took an innocent family," said Williams.
Vela is being held at the Hoke County Detention Center under a $750,000 bond.
Vela was already facing charges in Wake County. He was arrested this past September for being "intoxicated and disruptive." In that case, he posted the $500 cash bond and walked out.
Mary Ann and Jamie Oxendine leave behind two children, including a daughter in the tenth grade.
"Until we get tougher on DUIs this is going to be a result," said Crumpler. "My personal feelings is how many family members are we going to have to lose before we start taking it more serious."
