Family honors mother killed in crash, as DUI suspect enters plea from hospital bed

KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The household of Kellie Rivera is navigating a caller world arsenic they people the archetypal vacation play without the beloved parent of four.

On Monday, John Hughes, her brother-in-law, John Hughes, spoke to Action News to stock what the household is going through.

"This should beryllium a joyous occasion, and everybody should beryllium talking astir however we're going to get unneurotic and speech gifts, and present it's -- what are we going to do?"

Around midnight connected December 8th, Rivera was driving northbound connected 13th Avenue successful Kings County.

The CHP says a Toyota 4Runner traveling westbound connected Fargo Avenue astatine a precocious velocity ran a halt motion and slammed into Rivera's SUV.

Investigators accidental the driver, Phillip Chavez Macias, had a humor intoxicant level 3 times the ineligible limit.

He was taken to the infirmary with important injuries.

Rivera died astatine the scene.

"A ma is gone, a woman is gone, a sister, a daughter, a friend. Gone due to the fact that of 1 person's careless choices," said Hughes.

On Monday morning, the 35-year-old fishy was arraigned implicit video from his infirmary bed.

He pleaded not blameworthy to second-degree execution with aggravated circumstances for 2 anterior DUI convictions, arsenic good arsenic different factors.

"Justice for america is seeing him down bars wherever helium can't wounded different household similar he's wounded our family," said Hughes.

Her hubby of astir 20 years, section constabulary serviceman Jon Rivera, shared a connection with Action News.

It reads successful part, "Kellie's decease has near a monolithic spread successful our family. She loved profoundly and without exception. As we mourn our loss, delight instrumentality the clip to hug your loved ones a small tighter."

Hughes is besides urging everyone not to portion and thrust truthful different children are not near without a genitor due to the fact that of a preventable tragedy.

"How bash you archer a 4-year-old that can't happen, oregon however bash you archer an 8-year-old who says, 'I cognize Santa has magic. I cognize helium has magic, and helium tin bring my mommy backmost 'cause I don't privation gifts; I conscionable privation my mommy back. How bash you archer her Santa's magic doesn't enactment that way?"

This week, Kellie Rivera's household volition proceed 1 of her favourite vacation traditions, traveling to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to spot the lights astatine Christmas.

Chavez Macias is being treated astatine Kaweah Health. He faces the anticipation of beingness successful situation if convicted.

For quality updates, travel Christina Lopez connected Facebook, X and Instagram.