Bradenton mother died over the weekend in a DUI crash: ‘She touched so many lives’

BRADENTON, FL. – Sara Holmes,A Bradenton mother of two children, had something to look forward to. However, her future came to an end on Saturday evening when her car was hit by… suspected drunk driver.

Now she leaves her family devastated with grief as they try to live without her.

“She was my best friend and touched so many lives,” said her mother, Leesa Holmes.

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However, Sarah’s mother said that these two lives meant the most to her, the lives of her two daughters.

“She was patient and funny,” Leesa said. “She was in the mud puddles with them. She cooked with them. She was the mother who was in it all, and they adored her.”

However, everything changed on Saturday around 10:40 p.m. That evening, Sara and her boyfriend Sergio Larcher De Brito were on their way home from work. They were just a block away when Larcher De Brito got the green arrow to turn onto 43rd Street and Cortez Road when the accident occurred.

“They literally ripped the most loving person out of our lives,” Leesa said.

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The Bradenton Police Department said 25-year-old Cesar Navarrete was speeding and driving under the influence and had a blood concentration of 0.289. Officers said Navarrete ran a red light and hit the passenger side of the car driven by Larcher De Brito.

Sara was taken to hospital but died from her injuries the next morning.

“The point of impact was so big,” Larcher De Brito said. “I told my friends and family that I felt like I was awake, but after the collision I don’t remember what happened in the car.”

Bradenton police said that upon his release from the hospital, Navarrete will be arrested and jailed for DUI manslaughter and driving with a suspended license.

But those who knew Sarah are devastated.

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“We can’t even believe this is happening and it’s hard to get over, but we love her so much,” said her friend Desiree McCullough.

Noelle Clark agreed.

“Sarah raised them to be like her, and Sara was the type of friend who would give you her shirt before you even asked for it,” Clark said.

Sara was Larcher De Brito’s future. Now he and her family are working on how to cope without her.

“She brought safety, love and comfort,” he said. “We were looking for engagement rings. We talked about children. I always wanted to be a dad.”

Navarrete has been arrested in the past for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, and now he is facing a charge of causing Sarah’s death for causing an accident under the influence of alcohol.

“I don’t know. How to tell a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old that his mom is no longer around. It’s not an easy task,” her mother said.

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