A Florida pastor, recently widowed, was involved in a tragic car accident while speeding and under the influence, resulting in the death of one of his daughters nearly a year after her mother’s passing, according to authorities.
Joel Leiniz, 38, was reportedly driving his three daughters at 104 mph in a 40 mph zone when he crashed into a concrete pole in West Palm Beach at approximately 10 p.m. on January 17. Following the crash, he was arrested this week, as reported by CBS 12.
The collision led to his 2017 Audi Q7 catching fire, resulting in the death of his 8-year-old daughter, Zoe. Leiniz and his other daughters, Esperanza and Zoe, sustained injuries and were hospitalized.
According to an affidavit, Leiniz claimed he had to avoid an oncoming car while heading to a Mexican restaurant with his children after a church concert and stated he wouldn’t have been speeding with his daughters in the car.
However, the car’s internal records indicated he was traveling at 104 mph, significantly exceeding the 40 mph speed limit.
Tests at the hospital revealed Leiniz had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.083, slightly above Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, and it was likely higher at the time of the crash, according to documents.
Leiniz was arrested on July 19, facing charges of vehicular homicide and manslaughter while driving under the influence, as official records indicate.
Anthony Genova, Leiniz’s lawyer, requested a lower bond than the $200,000 sought by prosecutors, describing his client as a “grieving, newly widowed father” who had recently left his job to care for his family following his wife’s death.
“Less than a year before this tragic accident, his young wife succumbed to cancer, and he was her sole caretaker, which depleted his savings,” Genova stated during an initial court hearing, according to CBS 12.
The lawyer added, “He is an unemployed, widowed single father who depends entirely on Social Security survivor benefits for his children, supported by his live-in parents and sister.”
Leiniz’s wife, Sarah, who was the mother of all three daughters, passed away on January 26, 2025, nearly a year before the fatal crash, as stated in a fundraiser.
Leiniz had resigned from a position at New Covenant Church around the time of his wife’s death but continued working there as a youth pastor, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $150,000 bail. The date for his next court appearance remains unclear.
Neither Leiniz’s lawyer nor the New Covenant Church responded immediately to requests for comment.
