Kayla Mendoza, the 20-year-old woman who tweeted out "2 drunk 2 care" before driving a Hyundai Sonata the wrong way on the Sawgrass Expressway and crashing into a 2012 Toyota Camry, killing Marisa Catronio and a passenger, Kaitlyn Ferrante, was, in fact, drunk.
A search warrant filed by the Florida Highway Patrol reveals that Mendoza had a blood-alcohol reading of .15 -- nearly twice the legal limit -- when she plowed into the victim's car on the night of November 17.
The warrant also says Mendoza had traces of marijuana in her system.
See also: Kayla Mendoza's Family Finally Speaks: "Someone Hacked Her Twitter"
The warrant says that Mendoza had a blood sample taken about an hour after the accident, when she was taken to Broward Health North. A Florida Highway Patrol investigator took a second blood sample two hours after that, the warrant says.
Last month, the families of the victims filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mendoza.
In addition to compensation for pain and suffering, the families are asking for compensation for medical expenses and funeral expenses in the lawsuit.
On Wednesday, they told the Sun-Sentinel that they were waiting for the blood-alcohol results.
"We wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, maybe there was a medical condition," said Gary Catronio, father of one of the victims. "This just builds on the case that she made a choice, and she made the wrong choice."
Witnesses had also told Florida Highway Patrol investigators that Mendoza had drinks at Tijuana Taxi Co. in Coral Springs with coworkers before the accident.
According to sworn affidavits filed by Florida Highway Patrol, several witnesses say Mendoza "was drinking alcoholic beverages with coworkers earlier the night of the crash at Tijuana Taxi Co. in Coral Springs."
So far, Mendoza has not been charged. The FHP is still investigating the crash, and have said that part of the investigation is focused on her fateful tweet hours before the crash.
2 drunk 2 care
— Kaila Mendoza (@highimkaila) November 17, 2013Send your story tips to the author, Chris Joseph. Follow Chris Joseph on Twitter
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