Plea Deal Accepted in Fatal Crash

download (90)Youth and alcohol when paired together can make a dangerous and sometimes deadly combination. A young woman who has been charged with DUI manslaughter in connection to a fatal crash in 2013 crash in downtown Miami that killed her friend knows this all-too-well.

On Friday, Mila Dago, 24, has accepted a plea deal of four years in prison with 10 years of probation as well as mandatory community service and the permanent loss of her driver’s license.

Dago was behind the wheel of a rented Smart Car when she ran a red light at Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 15th Street around 4:45 a.m. then crashed into a truck driven by Benjamin Byrum, 51. Irena Reinoso, 22, Dago’s friend, died in the incident.

Evidence against Dago included a string of text messages that she sent to her estranged boyfriend which included, “Driving drunk woo” and “I’ll be dead thanks to you”. The final text message was sent by Dago just three minutes before the fatal crash.

Dago apologized to the Reinoso family before pleading guilty to the charges against her in court.

“I wish I could turn back time. Had we not believed like so many young people that we are invincible, we would not be here today,” said Dago through a translator. “The words ‘I’m sorry’ will never be sufficient to express my feeling. My highest hope is that you find peace from my sentence.”

The Reinoso family have found peace with the sentence and how the case turned out, though nothing could ever make up for having lost their daughter who had dreams of becoming a law enforcement officer.

Dago has stated through her attorneys that she plans to make it her mission to be an advocate against drunk driving.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or tragically lost through the irresponsible actions of another contact us today. We have years of experience in personal injury and accident lawsuits in the Miami-Dade area and we can get your case started immediately.

While nothing can ever compensate the tragic loss of a loved one, we understand and are here for you. Contact us 24 hours a day 7 days a week to schedule your free initial consultation and find out how we can help.