BRADENTON – The 37-year-old mother of two little girls, Sara Danielle Holmes, was struck and killed in a crash by a suspected drunk driver on Cortez Road on the way home from her job at Swordfish Grill Saturday night, Nov. 2.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for funeral expenses and for her two daughters. Donations may be made using the following link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-saras-family-through-this-tragic-time
On Sunday, Swordfish Grill posted the following on its Facebook page:
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news that our beloved bartender, Sara, tragically lost her life after being struck by a drunk driver. Sara was so much more than a coworker — she was family. Her warm smile and kind spirit lit up our restaurant, bringing joy not only to our customers but to every member of our team.
Sara leaves behind two young little girls, who will now need all the support they can get. To honor her memory and help her family through this unimaginable time, we’re sharing a GoFundMe link to assist with her funeral costs and to help care for her little ones.
Please keep Sara’s family, friends, our staff, and all those who loved her in your thoughts. And let this be a heartbreaking reminder of the importance of never drinking and driving. We hope Sara’s story can help prevent another tragedy like this.”
According to a press release, the Bradenton Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the fatal crash involving a suspected drunk driver.
According to investigators, at approximately 10:40 p.m. on Nov. 2 Cesar Navarrete, 25, was speeding westbound on Cortez Road in his Nissan Altima. Navarette ran a red light and slammed into the passenger side of a Chevrolet Equinox that was turning onto northbound 43rd Street West.
The passenger in the Equinox, Holmes, was transported to a nearby trauma center and succumbed to her injuries the morning of Nov. 3. The driver of the Equinox and Navarrete both received non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.
BPD arrested Navarrete on an outstanding warrant for driving with a suspended license. Investigators suspect Navarrete was impaired at the time of the crash and conducted a DUI investigation. Additional charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.
