Investigators say the SUV struck a power pole on South Military Trail while Joel Leiniz’s three daughters rode inside.
GREENACRES, Fla. — A former youth pastor has been charged months after investigators said he drove 104 mph before losing control of an SUV and crashing into a concrete power pole, killing his 8-year-old daughter.
Joel Leiniz faces DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges in the Jan. 17 collision on South Military Trail. His daughter, Zoe Alaya Leiniz, died after being taken to a hospital. Leiniz and his two other daughters survived the single-vehicle crash.
The crash occurred about 9:52 p.m. in the 2600 block of South Military Trail, near John I. Leonard High School. Authorities said the posted speed limit in the area was 40 mph, meaning the vehicle was traveling at more than two and a half times the limit shortly before the collision.
An initial Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report said the vehicle was traveling south in the left lane. Investigators said Leiniz attempted to change lanes but made an abrupt move to avoid a slower vehicle in the center lane. He then lost control, crossed a curb and struck the pole.
The vehicle turned around the pole before stopping on a sidewalk, according to the crash report. Its engine compartment caught fire after the impact. Emergency crews transported Leiniz and the three children to a hospital, where Zoe was pronounced dead.
The two surviving children were 5 and 11 at the time of the crash, according to the initial report. Early accounts said Leiniz and the surviving girls suffered serious injuries. Authorities have not provided updated information about their medical conditions.
Investigators initially described speed as a factor in the crash. The later criminal charges added an allegation that Leiniz was driving under the influence. Officials have not publicly detailed the toxicology evidence, testing or other findings used to support that charge.
Leiniz appeared before a Palm Beach County judge Monday and was granted a $150,000 bond. The judge barred him from having direct contact with his surviving daughters while the case is pending. The Florida Department of Children and Families will oversee any visitation arrangements.
Before the crash, Leiniz served as a youth pastor at New Covenant Church. He and his wife had worked at the church while raising their daughters. His wife died from metastatic breast cancer about a year before the collision.
Leiniz later told the court that he stopped working after the crash to spend more time with his family. No one responded when reporters visited his Margate home Monday, and a representative of his former church was not available for comment.
Leiniz has been charged but has not been convicted. The case remains under investigation, and authorities have not announced additional findings or the next scheduled court proceeding.
Author note: Last updated July 21, 2026.