NMAtv

Heartache came to a family Easter morning in Southern California after a drunk driver plowed into the bedroom of a 16 year-old girl.

Roberto Rodriguez's decision to get behind the wheel after drinking last weekend will no doubt haunt him forever.

Police in Southern California say an intoxicated 20-year-old Rodriguez was speeding at 80 miles an hour, when he lost control of his Nissan Pathfinder SUV and slammed into a Palmdale housing complex.

The vehicle slammed through a wall and into an apartment where 16-year old Giselle Mendoza was sleeping. She died at just before 4 a.m., moments after Rodriguez's SUV plowed into her bedroom.

Firefighters pronounced the teenage girl dead at the scene.
The speeding SUV hit the building with such force it penetrated two apartments. Luckily, a girl living in the adjoining apartment slept on the sofa that night, an act that likely saved her life.

Ms. Mendoza's grief-stricken older sister made a heartfelt plea on Sunday, begging people to think twice before drinking and driving.



Check out our Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nextmedia.gan />Check out our iOS app: https://itunes.apple.com/app/tomonews/id633875353<br />
For news that's fun and never boring, visit our channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUS<br />
Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt-WqkTyKK1_70U4bb4k4lQ?sub_confirmation=1 />
Stay connected with us here:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS<br />Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS<br />Google+ http://plus.google.com/+TomoNewsUS/
Instagram @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus