Teen DUI driver kills 15-year-old in head-on collision, then falls 200 feet, cops say
Lily Harrison planned to go to Ethiopia in at the end of June to perform missionary work at a refugee camp, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.
But a head-on collision with an accused drunk driver Saturday night killed the 15-year-old from Murrieta, California, KTLA reported.
“I will mourn the loss of my sweet girl for all of my living days here on this earth,” said Faith Harrison Zember, Lily’s mother, at a memorial Monday, the Valley News reported. “I promise you, it was in God’s hands, and he was merciful in the way that he chose to bring her home.”
Jose Zazueta, 19, lost control of a 2015 BMW going at least 55 mph on a curve near Temecula at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, crossing the double line and slamming head-on into a Toyota Corolla in which Lily was a passenger, KTLA reported.
The BMW bounced off the Toyota and “careened” 200 feet down an embankment, according to the station. Zazueta suffered moderate injuries. Two other teens in the Toyota suffered serious injuries.
Friends and family remembered Lily on Monday at a candlelight memorial at Calvary Murrieta Christian High School, which she and the other two teens in the Toyota attended, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.
“”She loved, she loved fully, she loved authentically, she hurt when you hurt,” Harrison Zember said, the Valley News reported.
“I had the privilege to be the angel’s dad,” said Louie Zember, her stepfather, according to the publication. “You don’t know what pressure comes with being the dad to an angel.”
Louie Zember said he and Lily’s mother have forgiven Zazueta “not because we want to, but because we’re called to,” but said the 19-year-old will still have to face the consequences of his actions, the Valley News reported.
A video of a Christian folk song Lily wrote and performed called “I Am” was played at the memorial, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.
“She made a clear distinction between a singer and a worshiper, and she was a worshiper,” said Kim Zember, her aunt, according to the publication. “But, as much as she could sing, she could not dance. We used to joke with her and say ‘God can only overfill a person with a certain amount of talent.’”
Zazueta faces charges of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter with intoxication, KTLA reported. He’s being held on $75,000 bail.
This story was originally published June 4, 2019 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Teen DUI driver kills 15-year-old in head-on collision, then falls 200 feet, cops say."