On this day eight years ago, tragedy struck the Santa Clarita Valley when 37-year-old Katie Evans, a mother of six, was killed by a drunk driver just a mile from her home.

Katie Evans was returning from visiting her premature twin daughters at UCLA’s Intensive Care Unit when a 21-year-old woman, later identified as Alexia Cina, crashed into her vehicle while driving under the influence. 

Katie died at the scene, leaving behind her husband Jacob and their children.

Jacob Evans later described the heartbreak of that night, how his calls to Katie went unanswered, and how he discovered the crash site himself, only to realize his wife had been killed. 

“It completely ruined my life to that point,” he said in a past interview. “I don’t want anyone to have to go through the sort of suffering and pain that my family has gone through.”

Investigators found Cina’s blood alcohol level to be nearly three times the legal limit, and open alcohol containers inside her car. In 2018, she was sentenced to 10 years in state prison pleading no contest to the charges against her.

In the years since, Jacob has spoken publicly about the devastating consequences of impaired driving. 

“Alcohol is everybody’s business,” he said. “Don’t let your friends drink and drive. Don’t let somebody leave a party drunk, because you never know. It might be someone you know that’s life is impacted forever.”

To read yesterday’s Today in SCV History, click HERE.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.