INDIANAPOLIS — The man accused of killing a couple in an alleged drunk driving crash April 2 at 10th Street and Arlington Avenue faces six felony charges in the case. Anthony Dawan Edwards is accused of a running a red light while driving drunk and slamming into another car.
Ten family and friends of Adan Valencia and Angelina Chavez came to Edwards’ initial court hearing Monday. Edwards was assigned a public defender and a not guilty plea was entered for him on two counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, two counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle with an ACE of .08 or more, and two counts of reckless homicide using a vehicle.
Andres Valencia, the older brother of Adan, spoke after the hearing on behalf of the family through a Spanish interpreter.
"It's very senseless and indescribable to me as this person with full disregard of his life or anybody's life, for him just to drive in the conditions he was under and cost the death of my brother," said Andres.
Witnesses say a GMC Canyon truck driven by Edwards ran a red light at 10th and Arlington and smashed into the driver's side of a Nissan Versa. Valencia was behind the wheel and Chavez in the passenger seat of the Versa. Both died at the scene.
The force of the crash sent the Versa into a nearby storefront, taking out a column before coming to a stop at the building.
Adan and Angelina leave behind three children, including 14-year-old Adan Jr., who survived the crash in the back seat of their car.
"They are taking it very hard, especially the boy, the 14-year-old that was being a passenger with them,” said Andres. “Obviously to see both of his parents die before him, it has been very traumatizing for him.”
Edwards’ criminal convictions reach back to 1998, including residential entry, criminal trespass, theft, voyeurism, illegal drug possession, resisting law enforcement, auto theft, burglary, altering a handgun identifying marks, public intoxication, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, failure to stop after an accident, and driving while suspended. He served multiple sentences in state prison.
"We don't know even why he was released with all the prior convictions that he had and all the prior record that he had, the same thing, why was he released, why was he out?" wonders Andres.
Edwards' bail is set at $120,000. His license is suspended if he makes bail before his trial. His next court hearing is scheduled June 12.
The Valencia family also issued a statement to 13 News:
“As we move into the next phase of this journey in the grief process, we are faced with the sadness and fight for our family members and friends. This is a most difficult process because although death is final and clear, justice is not.
We proceed with caution and care, praying for a fair and just outcome. The tragedy of Adan Valencia, Angelina Chavez is a senseless action. It has caused a wave of emotion in our families and their friends. It has led to young people, fatherless and motherless. It has left the family devastated by a senseless action by a person who had no legal right to be operating a vehicle in such an altered state.
What the accused has chosen to take from us we can never replace. These are hard facts to swallow. What if Adan and Angelina had spent just two extra minutes buying food for their family and missed the light?
That is a question in all our minds.
What if Anthony Edwards had respected the law and didn’t drive Sunday, April 2 at 7:30? Would we be in the judicial process? If Marion County had recognized the multiple visits and violations for multiple driving and impairment violations and held him responsible for his actions, would we be here now for the justice Adan and Angelina deserve? It took the murder of two persons to stop him.
We are angry, we are hurt, and we are relying on the prosecutors of Marion County to help us to make sense of this murder of a father and a mother and to stop Anthony Edwards.
Help us to continue in our grieving process and assure us Anthony D Edwards will never leave another child/children without parents, never leave a family without a brother or a sister and uncle and aunt or a best friend again. It is human nature to believe in an angry and vengeful God. We need justice for Adan Valencia, and Angelina Chavez. We pray for justice and an appropriate resolution so this will never happen to another family that Anthony Edwards will never make a victim out of another person.
It is the American mantra “In God we trust” so at this time we are trusting in God and our fellow man to give us the outcome Adan Valencia and Angelina Chavez so deserve. This is a horrific, senseless act caused by the selfishness of one individual. It is our sincerest hope that justice will be swift and just for Adan and Angelina.
We must heal from this. We must help their children heal from this. We can only hope for the strongest punishment available to be imposed on Mr. Edwards. We have no empathy in our hearts for Mr. Edwards.
May God give the prosecutor strength and knowledge, and have some type of mercy on the perpetrator’s soul for the deliberate action of one senseless act that has affected the lives of many people. May Adan and Angelina rest in peace.”