PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A South Florida youth pastor faces charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide after a January crash that killed his 8-year-old daughter, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
Joel Isaias Leiniz, 39, was driving a Audi Q7 SUV southbound at the 2600 block of South Military Trail on Jan. 17 when he struck a concrete pole with such force that it caught fire, burning the windshield and dashboard. According to the affidavit, Leiniz was traveling at 104 mph in a 40 mph zone just five seconds before the collision.
The crash killed 8-year-old Zoe Leiniz, who was pronounced dead an hour later from injuries sustained in the crash.
Leiniz, who lives in Margate, told deputies he was driving with his three children in the back seat, returning from a church concert to Tacos Al Carbon. He said he was attempting to change from the inside lane to the center lane when he suddenly saw a car in front of him and swerved right to avoid a collision, losing control of the vehicle.
A witness working security at a nearby nightclub told investigators he observed the Audi traveling south on Military Trail at a high rate of speed before crashing into the concrete pole.
Blood tests revealed Leiniz had a blood alcohol level of .083 at the time of the crash, above Florida's legal limit of .08. The Event Data Recorder from the vehicle confirmed the SUV was traveling at 104 mph approximately five seconds before impact, with the ABS braking system activating just two seconds before the crash.
According to court documents, Leiniz served as a youth pastor and ministry director at New Covenant Church, and is currently surviving on limited Social Security survivor benefits for his children and GoFundMe donations from both his daughter and the death of his wife last year.
Leiniz is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Monday.
