TAMPA, Fla. -- A Hillsborough County couple is warning others this Thanksgiving weekend after their pregnant daughter and her fiancé were killed by a wrong-way driver.
The Thanksgiving holiday is considered by law enforcement to be one of the most dangerous times on the road with a lot of people drinking and driving.
“I wasn’t ready for, and I don’t think any parent would be ever ready for their child to go before them,” Suzette Alexandre said.
Yves and Suzette Alexandre lost their pregnant daughter and future son-in-law when a wrong-way driver slammed into them two years ago on I-75.
“When you lose a loved one, it changes you forever. Holidays just aren’t the same,” Yves said.
They said that was especially true this holiday. The crash happened after the couple left from Thanksgiving dinner.
“We’re essentially reliving what we experienced two years ago,” Yves said.
Crystal Clark with Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said they were trying to prevent other tragedies like that during a highly-traveled holiday.
AAA estimated about 2.6 million Floridians would hit the road for Thanksgiving in 2019; a 3 percent increase from 2018.
“That’s why we are gonna have extra deputies out there on the roadway. Our DUI unit is going to be out in full force making sure that we’re stopping anyone before they can get out there and put their lives at risk or anyone else,” Clark said.
