John Molnar was driving his Cadillac back home in Polk County when, on Turkey Lake Road near Westgate Lakes Resorts, he struck the side of a PT Cruiser.
In the rented PT Cruiser were Roberto Zepka and Elizabeth Manzanilla and their three children, Isabella, aged 2, Sophia, 6 and Alexander, 11. They were having a great time visiting Orlando’s numerous attractions, and had just been to Sea World.
Isabella, in a car seat on the side where the Cadillac hit, was fatally injured. She died two days later. Alexander sustained a fractured skull and recovered. He has suffered regular panic attacks ever since the crash. Sophia has had fears of dying when going to sleep.
Zepka, age 45, a Brazilian national, and Manzanilla, 42, a native of Venezuela, live in Durham, N.C. They have now returned to Orlando to attend a hearing for John Molnar, age 38. When Molnar was arrested after the deadly Florida crash in August 2009, he showed signs of being intoxicated. Two blood tests revealed his BAC was 0.133 and 0.129 percent, much higher than the legal limit of 0.08.
Molnar’s records show several violations for speeding, reckless driving and drunken driving.
He now faces charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide that could earn him up to 15 years in prison each.