Sean Guynes faces four counts of murder for a deadly crash in Biola earlier this month.
Prosecutors say Guynes was drunk when his Ford van failed to yield and crashed into a Nissan Altima with the right-of-way.
18-year-old Luis Carmona Rodriguez was among the victims.
"We don't get used to not being able to just call him or text him - just being able to talk to him. He was a big part of our family because he was that outgoing person," Luis' sister Analuisa Carmona said. "He was that loud person in our family."
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Analuisa stood with her parents. Her mother held back tears and clutched a rosary.
The family was in the courtroom as Guynes pleaded not guilty.
"Seeing him, I kinda just thought of my brother," Analuisa said. "I didn't even see him, you know. I just saw my brother."
Luis' cousin Sandy was also among the victims. Her brother-in-law Ernesto Orozco says the cousins were driving home from dinner when the tragedy unfolded.
"Oh, what did Sandy like? Oh, Sandy would say this, or was this type of person. We're just remembering her in different ways to just try to bring up our spirits right now," Orozco said.
The crash also killed two people in Guynes' van.
Authorities have not released their names, but family members have identified one of them to Action News as 29-year-old Nick Valdez IV of Kerman. They described him as a family man with a heart of gold who leaves behind two young daughters.
All the families are left to grieve as the case winds through the court system.
"I think it's getting harder and harder (as) more days go by," Analuisa said.
Guynes is next due in court in March, and the victims' family members say they plan to attend all future hearings.
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