Driver convicted of second-degree murder for 405 crash that killed 10-year-old girl

A San Clemente driver who crashed into another vehicle on the 405 freeway while driving under the influence of prescription drugs, killing a 10-year-old girl and seriously injuring her father and older sister, was convicted Monday of second-degree murder.

A Santa Ana jury also found Adam Kanas, 39, guilty of two felony DUI with great bodily injury charges for causing the fatal crash in the carpool lane of the northbound 405 near Seal Beach Boulevard on the morning of Aug. 15, 2016.

Leading up to the crash, several other motorists called 911 to report seeing Kanas driving “all over the road” in his Chevy Tahoe, swerving in multiple lanes, slowing down to 20 mph and speeding up to 70 mph and seemingly braking at random, Senior Deputy District Attorney Dan Feldman told jurors during the trial.

As vehicles slowed down due to traffic congestion, Kanas moved into the carpool lane and crashed into the back of a Tesla, forcing the smaller vehicle into the rear of a Honda Civic.

Driving the Tesla was Don Geddis, who serves as president of the board of trustees for the Hillsborough City School District, south of San Francisco. In the back seat of the car was 10-year-old Kendra Geddis, who was set to begin sixth grade, and her older sister Kayla, who was an eighth grader at the time.

Kendra, who was asleep in the car, died in the crash. Don and Kayla were both seriously injured.

According to Feldman, Kanas shortly after the crash told a CHP officer “I guess two cups of coffee weren’t enough.” When told the girl had died, Kanas replied “accidents happen,” according to the prosecutor. Video footage from a CHP office appeared to show Kanas falling asleep during an interview with investigators.

A toxicology report would later find muscle relaxers, among other prescription drugs, in Kanas’ system.

At the time of the fatal collision, Kanas was on probation for a 2015 DUI conviction in Los Angeles County, and had been warned by a judge that if he again drove while intoxicated and caused a crash in which someone was killed, he could be charged with murder.

Kanas’ attorney, Robert Gottlieb, acknowledged to jurors that Kanas was driving erratically. The defense attorney said just prior to the crash Kanas had taken his eyes off the road to pick up a bottle of Kombucha that fell to the floor of his car, and didn’t see the other vehicles stopping.

Gottlieb denied that Kanas was impaired at the time of the crash, however, and said his “lethargic” demeanor was due to the lingering effects of the violent collision.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the case illustrated the dangers of impaired driving.

“Choosing to get behind the wheel after you have been drinking or using drugs is a choice that can have deadly consequences,” Spitzer said. “That decision cost a 10-year-old girl her life – and cost her family a lifetime of memories with their little girl. Drugged driving is up more than 120 percent in Orange County over the last five years and it has to stop.”

Kanas was ordered to return to court for sentencing on Jan. 10.