Man apologizes for crash that killed Collier County father of 4

NAPLES, Fla.- With his head down, a suspected drunk driver apologized for a deadly crash along Golden Gate Boulevard that killed young husband and father Cecil Riner in December.

For the first time on Monday, Riner’s wife, Jessica Riner, came face-to-face during an arraignment hearing with 40-year-old Rene Miles, the man accused of taking her husband’s life. Collier County deputies say Miles was driving drunk when he crashed into Cecil Riner and his wife while the two were headed to a holiday party.

Cecil Riner, a father of 4, died from his injuries while his wife Jessica looked on.

“I relive it every day, as soon as I close my eyes, I remember everything,” said Jessica Riner.

With Jessica Riner standing just feet away, Miles apologized outside the courtroom saying, “I’m sorry for everything that happened.”

“I didn’t realize it would be that hard to see him, kind of put me into a little bit of a panic,” admitted Jessica Riner.

Monday also happens to be her youngest son’s birthday.

“Today our littlest one turns 5 and you know, they’re going to start doing all these things without their dad here and it’s really, really hard,” Jessica Riner said. “It’s been a rough seven weeks.”

She continues grieving her late husband’s life while she tries to instill his character into her sons.

“He was just amazing, you know he never said anything bad to anybody. He was so kind, so loving, I hope they grow up to be half the man he was.”

Miles is pleading not guilty to charges of leaving the scene of a deadly crash and DUI manslaughter. He’s being represented by high-profile Orlando attorney Mark O’Mara who got George Zimmerman acquitted back in 2013.