Mother of two killed in DUI crash after driver ran red light: BPD

BRADENTON, Fla. – A mother of two died Saturday evening after Bradenton police say another driver ran a red light and crashed into her vehicle.

Family said 37-year-old Sara Holmes was leaving work at the time of the crash.

Her boyfriend, Sergio Larcher de Brito, was driving a Chevrolet Equinox and she was in the passenger seat.

“They literally ripped the most loving person out of our lives,” said her mother, Leesa Holmes.

Bradenton police said25-year-old Cesar Navarrete was traveling westbound on Cortez Road at an extremely high rate of speed. Police said he crashed into the Equinox on the passenger side where Holmes was sitting in the vehicle. Holmes was taken to a hospital, where she died.

Police arrested Navarrete for DUI manslaughter and driving with a suspended license. Officers said a test revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.289.

“Stand behind a 2,000-pound rocket, a gun, drive like that through traffic and don’t pay attention to anyone around you,” said Sara’s mother, Leesa.

The accident happened on Saturday at 10:40 p.m. Police said Navarrete was driving west on Cortez Road approaching 43rd Street West in Bradenton.

Police said Navarrete and his passenger were injured and are in the hospital.

Sara’s friend said he doesn’t remember much about that night, but he does feel the impact.

“The point of impact was so bad. I told my friends and family that I didn’t feel like I was unconscious. It felt like I was awake, but I don’t remember after the impact,” he said.

Family said Sara was about a block from home when the accident happened.

Sara worked at Swordfish Grill and Tiki on Cortez Blvd. The restaurant posted about her death on Facebook and shared a GoFundMe page to help her two daughters.

“How do you tell a three- and five-year-old that their mother is gone? That’s not an easy task,” says Sara’s mother.

“It’s hard to think about her daughters and how they’re going to have to live a life without her. She’s beautiful and they deserve her. They deserved her to be here,” said her friend, Desiree McCullough.

Friends described her as selfless, kind and a devoted mother.

“She brought safety, comfort, love and affection. I mean everything that is good in the dictionary, you can associate that with Sara,” said her friend Sergio.

For more information about the GoFundMe to help Sara’s family go to this link