TAMPA, Fla. — The husband of a woman who was killed in a crash caused by a former assistant pastor accused of driving under the influence is heading to court.
According to a complaint, Albert Arsenault, the husband of Dana Rivera and father of their three children who were also seriously injured in the crash, is suing 33-year-old Nicholas Betancourt and his wife, Catalina Marie Betancourt, for their involvement.
On Feb. 27, a day before the accident, HCSO said Nicholas was arrested for driving under the influence and released the following day at 9 a.m.
Then, on Feb. 28, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Nicholas was driving a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica with a suspended license north on Gunn Highway when he entered the southbound lanes and struck another vehicle. As a result of the crash, 36-year-old Rivera was killed, and her three children, ages 4, 6 and 15, were seriously injured.
Detectives said Nicholas was under the influence of cocaine and methamphetamine at the time of the crash. During a search of his vehicle, deputies found multiple drugs, including methamphetamine, mushrooms, cocaine, MDMA, oxycodone, Xanax, and carisoprodol.
The lawsuit states that Rivera worked at both Steinbrenner High School and Publix "in addition to being a wonderful mother" to assist her family. As the owner of the vehicle Nicholas was driving at the time of the crash, Catalina is "vicariously liable for the wrongful death."
Arsenault is suing in excess of $50,000, exclusive of interest, costs and attorneys' fees.
According to the document, the surviving children, as well as Rivera and Arsenault's 14-year-old child who was not in the car during the crash, suffered damages including, but not limited to, "lost support and services, loss of parental companionship, instruction, and guidance, as well as mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering."
Nicholas was a former assistant pastor at Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Tampa. The church released the following statement:
We were devastated to hear about the arrest of our former assistant pastor, Nicholas Betancourt, and the circumstances surrounding his car accident on February 28 leading to the death of a woman and serious injury to her children. Nicholas was employed by our church until his resignation on January 24 of this year, and his official pastoral relationship was dissolved by the presbytery on February 8. While we no longer have any official relationship with Nick, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this car accident and all the families involved.
HCSO charged Nicholas with driving under the influence manslaughter, vehicular homicide, driving under the influence seriously bodily injury, and possession of a controlled substance, among other charges.
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