BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) – The family of a A 37-year-old woman killed by a drunk driver told ABC7 she is a wonderful daughter, sister and mother.

“She was the light of our lives and her daughters, how do you tell them she’s not coming back?” said Leesa Holmes, Sara’s mother.

Investigators said Holmes was a passenger in a car that was hit around 10:40 p.m. Saturday night on Cortez Road near 43rd Street West.

Detectives said she was taken to an area hospital where she died Sunday morning.

“They took the best person they could have ever known,” Holmes added.

By late Monday afternoon, police had confirmed this arrested Cesar Navarrete, 25, on felony charges related to the fatal crash.

Investigators said Navarrete was driving at a high rate of speed when they ran a red light and crashed into a Chevy Equinox carrying Holmes and her boyfriend, splitting the vehicle in half.

Navarrete and a passenger in his vehicle were transported to an area hospital. Police said Navarrete showed signs of impairment and subsequent DUI investigation revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.289.

Navarrete faces felony charges of manslaughter and driving while license suspended causing death or serious bodily injury.

A GoFundMe page was created to help raise money for Holmes’ funeral and the two daughters he left behind.

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