Mother charged after child injured in DWI crash

March 19 wreck leaves woman paralyzed, 7-year-old severely hurt

A Santa Fe mother faces aggravated drunken driving and child abuse charges following a March 19 crash that left her paralyzed and her 7-year-old daughter severely injured.

Eliza Souza, 34, is charged with child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, aggravated DWI, careless driving and other crimes as a result of the crash, which occurred near the intersection of N.M. 41 and U.S. 285 southeast of Santa Fe on March 19.

Souza, 34, of Santa Fe was driving a 2006 Lincoln Navigator at a high rate of speed north on N.M. 41 when she went through the U.S. 285 intersection, according to a statement of probable cause filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court on Friday. The vehicle then struck a guardrail and went about 100 yards down an embankment.

Souza smelled of alcohol and a half-empty bottle of wine was found in the vehicle, which was not insured, according to the statement of probable cause. Neither she nor her daughter were wearing seat belts.

While a sheriff ’s deputy attempted to conduct a field sobriety test of Souza at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, it was suspended when hospital staff said she had been given fentanyl for her pain, the statement said.

During questioning, Souza said she and her daughter were traveling back to Santa Fe after going to pick up a kitten, the statement said. She did not see the stop sign at the intersection because she was simultaneously trying to deal with her daughter and the kitten while driving.

It is unknown whether the deputy questioned Souza while she was under the influence of the opiate pain medication. Santa Fe County Sheriff ’s Office spokesman Juan Ríos, citing medical privacy laws, said he could not comment.

Souza said she drank two beers around noon the day of the crash but also told the deputy she had two beers at 2 p.m., according to the statement of probable cause.

Souza was transferred to University of New Mexico Hospital by helicopter because of her injuries, which included a broken back that left her paralyzed from the waist down, the statement said.

The girl suffered two broken arms, two broken vertebra, lacerations to her head, bleeding in her abdomen, bruised lungs and a possible rib fracture.

Because of her injuries, Souza was not arrested, but a summons was forwarded for her appearance in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court on April 21.