A young Arizona family of four was wiped out in an instant when a pickup truck driver allegedly dozed off and slammed head-on into their car, killing both parents and their two small children just months after the couple tied the knot.
Background
Giovanni Huerta, 26, and his wife, Kiah Begaye, 26, were high school sweethearts who married in April. The couple was traveling back to their home in Maricopa County from visiting relatives in New Mexico during the Labor Day weekend when the tragedy occurred.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the family was driving along State Route 260 near Heber-Overgaard when 21-year-old Jesse Lovato struck them head-on. Huerta worked as a mechanic, while Begaye was in the early stages of launching a Native American clothing business.
"Kiah and Giovanni were only 26 years old, with their whole lives ahead of them," a family GoFundMe page stated. "Dakota was just 4 years old, and little Malakai was only 2 — both had just started preschool. They were a family who should have had countless more birthdays, holidays, memories, and moments together."
The Charges
Lovato was arrested following the crash and has been charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault. Arrest documents obtained by local NBC affiliate KPNX indicate that Lovato told police he fell asleep while driving at the time of the collision.
The charges stem from the deaths of Giovanni Huerta, Kiah Begaye, and their sons, Dakota Huerta, 4, and Malakai Huerta, 2. The incident is currently under investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Key Takeaways
- Giovanni Huerta and Kiah Begaye, both 26, were killed alongside their sons, Dakota, 4, and Malakai, 2.
- The couple had married in April and were considered high school sweethearts.
- Jesse Lovato, 21, allegedly fell asleep at the wheel before the head-on collision on State Route 260.
- Lovato has been charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault.
- The families described the loss as an unimaginable tragedy that erased two generations in a single moment.
What's Next
Lovato remains in custody as legal proceedings begin. The families of the victims have expressed their grief through public statements, with Begaye's mother, Chrissy Kaibetoney, stating, "It doesn't seem fair at all because they were so young. They had a whole life ahead of them. They had plans, goals and adventures they wanted to go on."
Huerta's father, Joel Huerta, added, "It's like a dream, and I'm still waiting to wake up. I wake up, and I'm still in the dream — more like a nightmare. They were my world. My son, my only son. Two generations just gone like that."