16-year-old driver in fatal Marin crash charged with manslaughter

"Prosecutors have filed charges against the teenage driver involved in a deadly Woodacre crash that killed four passengers. The driver, who was 16 when the crash happened on April 18, is charged with a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter and infractions of driving at an unsafe speed and violating terms of a provisional driver's license. The girl appeared in court on Wednesday, where a judge allowed the juvenile court proceedings to be open to the public, said District Attorney Lori Frugoli."

"Investigators determined that the driver was at fault for the crash on westbound San Geronimo Valley Drive. The CHP alleged that the girl drove 60 to 65 mph in a 40 mph zone. Then she allegedly made an unsafe turn near a curve in the road before striking a large tree in the forested area. Three of the victims were pronounced dead at the crash scene and one died at a hospital."

"The driver and the surviving passenger were hospitalized. All of the teens were students at Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo. CHP Officer Darrel Horner, who prepared the investigative report, wrote that the driver had a provisional license that prohibited her from transporting passengers under age 20. The passengers were 14 to 16 years old. Horner wrote that the driver had her license for five months and likely lacked the experience to safely handle these conditions at a high speed."

Prosecutors charged a 16-year-old driver with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and infractions for unsafe speed and violating a provisional-license restriction after an April 18 Woodacre crash that killed four passengers. Juvenile court proceedings were ordered open to the public despite typical state-law confidentiality; the district attorney's office objected and will withhold non-public investigative materials during the ongoing case. A California Highway Patrol probe concluded the driver was at fault, alleging travel at 60–65 mph in a 40 mph zone, an unsafe turn near a curve, and a collision with a large tree. Three victims died at the scene and one later at a hospital; the driver and one surviving passenger were hospitalized. The passengers were 14–16 years old.

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