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Osceola County mother hopes for justice five years after son's death

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — An Osceola County mother may finally get justice five years after her son was killed in a drunken driving crash.

Cindy Abreu’s son, Devon Alica, was killed in a one-car DUI crash in February 2009 on Poinciana Boulevard near Reeves Road.  Investigators said Alica’s friend Javierre Gibbs, was behind the wheel and was arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter.  Gibbs’ blood alcohol level was reportedly 0.135 percent.

Eventually the case went to trial but ended in a hung jury.

“When I got the news, I fell to the floor and scratched up my knees and scraped up my knees because I couldn’t believe it,” Abreu said.

Since then Abreu has been desperately hoping for a new trial.

To cope with her loss she began working with the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving to share her story with high school and college students.  She even showed up at DUI checkpoints, with signs showing pictures of Alica and talked with people busted for driving drunk.Now, after years of waiting, her prayers were answered and a new trial is scheduled to start on Monday.

“I need peace now, it’s going on five years,” Abreu said.

She also said the suspect has never apologized to her and believes it’s time for him to pay.