Sherri Lyn Wilkins, 51, is being held on charges of manslaughter and drunken driving. Eyewitness News confirmed that Wilkins worked as a drug and alcohol rehab counselor at Twin Town Treatment Center in Torrance.
"No one, including counselors, are immune from the possibility of relapse," said Twin Town's CEO David Lisonbee, who did not want to go on camera. He says Wilkins was working there until Friday.
"We are comfortable that she was in a program of recovery for a period of time prior to this incident," he said.
The candles are crowded onto the railroad crossing where 31-year-old Philip Moreno was struck and killed by the alleged drunk driver, who drove for 2 miles with Moreno stuck in her windshield.
Moreno had left a bar called the Branch Office at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. He was trying to cross Torrance Boulevard when he hit in the intersection and the driver kept driving for two miles before witnesses stopped her after seeing Moreno pinned to the hood of her car.
"Her statement to us is that she was panicked," said Torrance police Sgt. Robert Watt. "She had panicked behind the wheel after striking the gentleman and did not know what to do."
Moreno's friends say he was a huge sports fan who was just trying to walk home when he was hit and killed.
"He was doing the right thing and he was walking and he had his life taken from him," said friend Jennifer Grebb.
Wilkins is due back in court later this week.
