A Tampa woman is in jail facing two counts of DUI Manslaughter nearly a year and a half after the crash.
Temple Terrace Police say 32-year-old Lakena James had been drinking when she crashed at the intersection of North 56th Street and Riverhills Drive in May, 2015. She was turning onto Riverhills drive when a truck, driven by 49-year-old Jeffrey Wade, hit her.
Her daughter, 7-year-old Desirae Gilley and Jeffrey Wade both died. Police say Wade had also been drinking, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his truck.
There were a total of four children in the back seat of James' car. None of them were properly secured. Desirae was thrown from the vehicle.
According to police, it took several months for toxicology reports to come back. Then, it took more time for the State Attorney's Office to review the case.
A warrant for James' arrest was issued in June. Police say efforts to quickly locate her were unsuccessful. She was found "laying low" at an apartment complex in Plant City on Tuesday.
James is being held in the Hillsborough county jail on $50,000 bond.
