Woman sentenced in DUI death of 13 year old

A Key West woman has pleaded no contest to vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury in the death of a teenage girl in 2021 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The crash claimed the life of 13-year-old Jaselle Isabella Diaz and left another individual seriously injured. Judge Mark Wilson sentenced Aaliyah Maria Alberto to 10 years in state prison for vehicular homicide, followed by three years of drug offender probation, during which her driver’s license will be revoked for an additional three years.

Alberto received an additional five-year prison sentence to run concurrently. She also was fined and ordered to pay court costs on the charges of reckless driving with serious bodily injury, driving with a suspended license and making a false report to law enforcement. As part of her drug offender probation, Alberto will be required to undergo drug testing twice a week, attend three 12-step meetings per week, and abstain from alcohol and non-prescribed medication, according to a news release from the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office.

State Attorney Dennis Ward praised Assistant State Attorney David Alvarez’s work on the case, saying, “ASA Alvarez’s tireless work on this case and his pursuit of justice have been exemplary. This outcome is a direct result of his commitment, as well as the outstanding work of Florida Highway Patrol Corporal Tsoi and Corporal Stine, whose meticulous investigation ensured the facts were presented clearly.”

The investigation, conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol, revealed that Alberto was driving a white 2006 Cadillac CTS at nearly double the posted speed limit on Old State Road 4A when she lost control and collided with a tree, the State Attorney Office’s news release stated. Diaz was a passenger in the vehicle, along with Jason Stanley, then 18, who was seriously injured.

Diaz was airlifted to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Investigators also determined that Alberto had never obtained a driver’s license, had failed the written examination multiple times and had previously been cited for driving with a suspended license, according to the release.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield stated: “This case underscores the importance of thorough investigative work and the critical collaboration between law enforcement and prosecutors. We commend the Florida Highway Patrol for their professionalism and their role in securing justice for the Diaz family and all those impacted by this devastating event.”