Family reacts to deadly crash arrest; Urges drivers not to drive intoxicated

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The family of a woman killed in a crash in January is speaking out after the driver suspected of killing her is finally arrested—and his toxicology report is shocking. 

Alan tracheal faces multiple charges for the deadly crash. He was also found to be under the influence of meth, fentanyl and morphine. 

For the family, that makes matters even worse. They are pleading with drivers to use their story as a lesson. They’re urging everyone not to get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of drugs.

Mary Amiel said she lost both her mother and her best friend on that day.

“If he would have just been a normal driver than that might not have happened and my mom would still be here,”Amiel said.“I feel better about it in some ways then in other ways I feel like it almost makes it kind of worse I feel like knowing it could have been prevented.”

According to court documents, a witness near the scene of the crash noticed Tarchala threw something into a ditch. That something was later found to be a box with a meth pipe and meth crystals inside.

Mary amiel, lost her mother in january crash “you’re getting in a car like that and you think that it’s fine and it doesn’t matter but then you cost someone their life. And i’ll never be able to see my mom again so…”

Tarchala tested positive for six different drugs including both meth and fentanyl. He also has a prior conviction for operating while intoxicated.

Research from Sydney University shows that drivers are more likely to drive erratically while under the influence of meth.

That’s why Mary wants others to think twice.

“Let’s say that you lost your best friend because of somebody else’s bad decision. I would say that they should think about that what if they lost the person that they love the most?”

It took almost five months to get his toxicology results back and for police to arrest Tarchala.

The prosecutor’s office said it’s not uncommon for the wait to be this long but it all depends on the work load of the lab they send the tests to.