Maria Garcia and Alyssa Aisa (6 years old) - victims of impaired driving in Las Vegas, Nevada

Maria Garcia, age 58, and her granddaughter, Alyssa Aisa, age 6, died on March 30, 2015, at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Alyssa Aisa (L); Maria Garcia (Mid); Leonardo Ruesga (R)

At about 2:30 p.m., Maria and Alyssa were standing at a bus stop on a busy street in Las Vegas.  A second grandchild, an 18 month old toddler, was in a stroller. 

A car turning a corner near the bus stop plowed into Maria and Alyssa and the toddler. All three were rushed to a local hospital where tragically Maria and Alyssa passed away.  The toddler in the stroller lived. 

Leonardo Ruesga, age 20, of Las Vegas, was the driver and fled the scene.  He was arrested several hours later, hiding in an apartment complex. He faces two counts of DUI involving death and one count of failing to stop at the scene of an accident. In October of 2014, Leonardo had been found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon and had received a suspended sentence. 

Mary, Holy Mother, pray for
Maria and for Alyssa

At least Leonardo Ruesga manned up and told police he had been drinking and “ingesting illegal substances” before he was arrested.

Leonardo Ruesga is innocent until proven guilty.  

However we offer this advice to all drivers: If you find that you are wasted, drunk or doped up on street drugs or prescription drugs or if you are falling asleep on your feet, do NOT drive. Call a family member or a friend for a ride; or take a taxi; or stay where you are until you sober up; or crawl home on your hands and knees. It will be better for you and for the world if you do.

Regret can last a lifetime.

It may be time for the City of Las Vegas Transit Department to re-think this busy bus stop with a view to moving it or placing metal/concrete blocking posts in front of it to prevent drivers from plowing into it.

Maria and Alyssa's loved ones are devastated over their sudden and tragic deaths. They will be forever mourned.

Maria and Alyssa are survived by many loving friends and family members who will forever miss them.

Pray for justice for Maria and for Alyssa. 

Pray for all who die by misadventure. They are with us one moment and are gone before we can say goodbye.

God save us from the drunk and the doped up drivers. They are killing us, Father.

Pray that Maria is in heaven. Pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Alyssa is playing in the fields of Heaven.