Joel Leiniz, 38, a former South Florida youth pastor, was arrested July 19 and charged with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter after a Jan. 17 crash that killed his 8-year-old daughter, Zoe. Investigators say event data shows the Audi Q7 was traveling 104 mph in a 40 mph zone and the anti-lock brakes engaged seconds before impact; Leiniz’s blood-alcohol level tested at .083. He has pleaded not guilty, bail was set at $150,000, and a judge barred him from contacting his surviving daughters while the case proceeds under Florida Department of Children and Families oversight.
Florida Pastor Arrested After Investigators Say Drunk Driving at 104 MPH Killed His 8-Year-Old Daughter
Joel Leiniz
A former South Florida youth pastor, Joel Leiniz, 38, was arrested July 19 and charged with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter after investigators say he was driving intoxicated at 104 mph when his SUV struck a concrete pole on Jan. 17, killing his 8-year-old daughter, Zoe.
Crash Details
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and an arrest affidavit, the collision occurred shortly before 10 p.m. in the 2600 block of South Military Trail near West Palm Beach. Leiniz was driving an Audi Q7 with three children in the vehicle after leaving a church concert and reportedly headed to a nearby restaurant. Investigators say the SUV hit a concrete pole, caught fire, and Zoe was pronounced dead about an hour later. Leiniz and his two other daughters were hospitalized and later transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
Evidence and Testing
Investigators say the vehicle’s event data recorder showed the SUV was traveling 104 mph in a 40 mph zone approximately five seconds before impact, with the anti-lock braking system activating roughly two seconds before the crash. Blood tests detected a blood-alcohol concentration of .083, just above Florida’s legal limit of .08. Leiniz has denied that he was speeding, telling deputies he "did not think he was speeding because he had kids in the car," according to a criminal complaint.
Legal Proceedings
Leiniz was arrested after a months-long investigation and appeared in bond court, where Circuit Judge Donald Hafele set bail at $150,000 total—$75,000 on each count. He has pleaded not guilty. As a condition of his release, the court ordered that Leiniz have no contact with his surviving daughters while the case is pending; the Florida Department of Children and Families is overseeing any visitation arrangements. Local reports indicate Circuit Judge Sherri L. Collins is scheduled to preside over the case going forward.
Personal Context
The crash compounded recent family tragedy: Leiniz is a widower whose high-school sweetheart, Sasha, died of metastatic breast cancer roughly a year before the fatal crash. Court filings and media reports say Leiniz is unemployed and that his family depends on Social Security survivor benefits and the support of his live-in parents and sister.
Charges include: vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. The case remains under investigation and pending in Palm Beach County court.
If convicted, Leiniz faces serious criminal penalties under Florida law. The investigation, arrest affidavit, and court records cited here are based on statements from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, local news outlets, and court filings.
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