PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Six months after a deadly crash near Boynton Beach, the alleged driver is now behind bars.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies said Mariela Canales is to blame. Investigators arrested Canales this week after court documents show she admitted to being the one behind the wheel, while she knowingly did not have a license.
Deputies say Mariela Canales admitted to driving without a license
The crash, which happened on State Road 7 back on Aug. 30, 2024, killed two people.
Deputies said Canales was driving north, crossed six lanes of traffic, as well as the median, and cut off another car heading south, causing that driver to slam into Canales. Two passengers were thrown from Canales’ car and were pronounced dead on the scene.
When interviewed, deputies said Canales was not under the influence at the time of the crash.
When explaining what happened she told them she "could see perfectly fine in both directions," until she "started to go through and felt the impact."
Canales, who is facing two counts of driving without a license causing bodily injury or death, appeared in court Friday. She pleaded not guilty, and a judge offered her a bond of $50,000 and ordered her to have no contact with the victim’s family or drive.
The sheriff's office said Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now involved in this case.
