A suspected drunk driver struck and killed a 73-year-old grandfather and his 2-year-old granddaughter in a devastating Easter weekend collision in Anaheim, California. Albino Barrera and little Sofia Barrera died instantly when a white Chevy SUV, driven by an allegedly intoxicated woman, plowed into their family’s Ford SUV on the 5 Freeway on April 19.
The family had just left a church member’s birthday party and were minutes from home when the crash occurred around 7 p.m. Also in the vehicle were Sofia’s mother, grandmother, and cousin, Ishmael Barrera Romero, who survived the wreck. Ishmael, seated in the front passenger seat, described the horrifying aftermath to ABC7: “As soon as I got out of my seat, I saw my grandpa Albino on the floor.
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I was just in shock, I didn’t know what to do. I was crying, I was calling for help.” Albino, who had been sitting in the back with Sofia, was ejected from the vehicle. The at-fault driver, whose name has not been released, was hospitalized with major injuries. Authorities suspect she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.
In a heartbreaking twist, the family cherishes one final photo of Albino and Sofia taken just before the crash—a rare moment, as Albino typically avoided pictures. “He decided to come to my niece and say, ‘Hey, let’s go take a picture,'” Herby Barrera tearfully told KABC. “They were the last ones to take a picture in that photo booth… It’s something that’s going to live in our hearts forever.”
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The grieving family has rallied together, struggling to process the sudden loss. “This could be prevented if people are responsible with their driving,” Herby said. “Two loved ones were taken away from us because someone was careless.”
A GoFundMe organized by Jaanai Barrera has raised over $21,000 to help the family with expenses. “This is one of the most challenging experiences we have ever endured,” she wrote, describing Albino as “the patriarch of our family” and Sofia as “just beginning to embrace life as a Barrera.” The tragedy underscores the deadly consequences of impaired driving, leaving a family shattered and a community in mourning.
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