Nassau mom accused of driving drunk, killing two kids enters plea

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — RELATED: Report: Nassau mom initially told police she wasn't driving

VIDEO: Mother was drinking before crash that killed two sons, neighbors say

The Nassau County mother who is accused of driving drunk, crashing her SUV and killing two of her kids entered a Not Guilty plea on Thursday.

Tonya Capallia-Eason, 33, did not appear in court as she waived her right to appear in front of a judge. She will appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on Jan. 26.

Neighbors previously told Action News Jax that Capallia-Eason, 33 was drinking rum at a children's Halloween party where alcohol was not being served before the accident.

The party hosts told Action News Jax they tried to keep her from driving the Ford Expedition, but she did so anyway.

Capallia-Eason's 2002 Ford Expedition lost control and crashed into a utility pole, after leaving a Halloween party. The crash killed two of her sons and hurt six others, including her daughter, who survived and was eventually released into the custody of Capallia-Eason's ex-husband, who lives in Michigan.

Investigators said her blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. Action News Jax obtained court records that show she told first responders that she wasn’t the driver, but instead the passenger in the SUV.

Cox Media Group