Mother wants to see justice for daughter, friend killed in northwest suburban crash
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (CBS) -- At first, she wasn't able to talk about her daughter's death – but now, the mother of a young woman killed by a suspected drunken driver with a criminal record wants to make sure some sort of justice is carried out.
She also wants to make sure her daughter is remembered.
Stephanie Maze spoke with CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov.
On June 10, Maze's life changed forever when her 18-year-old daughter, Amelia Mazeikis, and friend, D'Shaun Tudela, were killed in a crash.
"I have experienced no pain like this before," Maze said. "I wake up and I break every single day, over and over again."
Mazeikis was driving Tudela to work shortly before 9 a.m. that morning, when prosecutors say 32-year-old Deni Rubio was driving recklessly. Rubio blew a red light at Higgins and Barrington roads in Hoffman Estates, and broadsided the recent high school graduate's car, prosecutors said.
Police said Rubio's blood alcohol level was at almost twice the legal limit.
"He is a murderer," Maze said. "He murdered these two children. Not one. Two."
After the collision, Rubio's truck ended up in a ditch. Prosecutors said he tried grabbing one police officer's gun before nine officers were finally able to subdue him.
Rubio was also on probation for a 2022 weapons charge at the time.
"When these teens died, every person that they had had in their life died a little bit with them," Maze said.
Maze said she reached out to Kozlov because Rubio is expected back in court on Friday, Aug. 4, to enter a plea. She says she does not want his case – or her daughter's life – to be forgotten.
"Whatever we can do to continue to fight for this beautiful person, I want to do it," Maze said. "She was the type of person who would win a competition – and then feel bad for the people that didn't win, and want to give them her trophy."
Kozlov asked Maze, "If you could stand face-to-face with Rubio, what would you say to him?" This is where Maze struggles.
"He is not worth the waste of the breath of saying anything at all," Maze said. "He does not deserve that acknowledgement."
Rubio's bond was set at $2 million. He is facing five felonies.
Kozlov reached out to the Cook County State's Attorney's office to try to understand why it has almost taken two months for Rubio to be arraigned – but she did not hear back.Rubio's bond was set at $2 million. He is facing five felonies.
