SALT RIVER, AZ — The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has filed three counts of endangerment charges against a man accused of driving drunk and killing two people in October of 2018.
On Tuesday, the families of the victims met with prosecutors to discuss their decision.
"It's never going to be enough, unfortunately," Audrianne Dillard's mother, Shannon Dillard, said. "To at least have something, we couldn't accept nothing."
"That does not even cover the magnitude of what was actually done," Pastor Andre Miller, a family friend, said.
Up until now, no charges were ever filed against Collin Reeves, accused of driving drunk when he struck and killed Audrianne and Jesel Torres.
The family has wanted Reeves to be charged with manslaughter. Salt River Police suggested manslaughter charges, but MCAO said there wasn't enough evidence for a likelihood of conviction.
The office also admitted they couldn't charge Reeves with DUI because the statute of limitations had already passed.
"The family would not sleep at night if this had not been reversed so we're not surprised," Miller said. "The family's persistence, their pressure, their desire to see something happen, this had no choice but to happen. They had to reverse course."
The family says they're now working to change the law when it comes to who's at fault if a crash occurs while in a left turn lane. They say right now, both drivers are to blame.
"That should not be the case, especially when you have someone who's intoxicated driving well above the legal limit and they take a life," Miller said.
"We have to be the voice for our children, we've got to fight for them," Dillard said.
Reeves is expected to have his initial appearance on March 16 at the Southeast Mesa courthouse.
