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Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
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The 17-year-old driver of a car that collided with another, resulting in the death of two and the injury of four others Friday night, may face charges for vehicular manslaughter, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
The minor, whose name has not been released, is currently at Stanford Hospital where he’s being treated for injuries from the crash that are not considered life-threatening. Wagstaffe said his office planned to file charges once the driver was released from the hospital, which could be within the next few days or weeks.
Four other passengers were also injured in the Nov. 4 collision, including two in the teen’s car and the 7-year-old twin daughters of San Carlos residents Gregory Ammen, 44, and Grace Spiridon, 42, who died in the crash. Spiridon, a Google employee, and Ammen, an audio engineer, grew up in Palo Alto.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, according to the Redwood City Police Department. No other information has been released.
Though no formal plans had been announced, Wagstaffe said that vehicular manslaughter, which can be filed as either a misdemeanor or felony, was one of the charges being considered. While a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter conviction is punishable by up to a year in county jail, a felony conviction could confer up to six years in a state prison.
Though the identity of the teen driver has not been made public, the Sequoia Union High School District has offered aid to its community.
“As a result of the tragedy, the district did provide additional support services for our students and staff,” said spokesperson Richard Gebin.
As horrific as that accident was, I see no benefit for anyone to lock up the teen driver. I know of him and his family, all of whom are devastated. Locking up the teen will not bring back the young couple, but if there is any positive outcome, it might come for that boy to speak to high schoolers all over the area, sharing how this one dumb decision (speeding) has changed so many lives, including his own. No matter what, he is changed forever. What if even one future incident might be avoided if a teen were to hear this young man and “get it.” Teens are given permission to drive, but particularly for boys, the decision-making parts of their brains are not yet mature and won’t be until they are in their mid-twenties. IMO, teens are more likely to listen to and head the message from one of their own over that of a parent or a police person. Just a thought. I suspect others will shoot me down with a “lock ‘m up” response, but as I said—who would be served? For those who cry for justice, I maintain there can be no justice here, as the 2 people who died aren’t coming back. Let’s not think REVENGE. Let’s think compassion and learning—can we make just a small bit of lemonade?
We have a legal system and a judicial system that is responsible for deciding what to do when someone breaks the law and harms others.
This forum has no role in that process.