Arraignment of Temescal Valley man who faces triple murder charges postponed
A 42-year-old Temescal Valley man charged with three counts of murder for what prosecutors said was an intentional ramming of a car filled with teens who had played a doorbell-ringing prank at his house appeared in court Thursday afternoon, Jan 23, for the first time, but the arraignment hearing was delayed to Feb. 21.
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Anurag Chandra was charged earlier in the day with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in connection with the Sunday night car wreck near his home that left three 16-year-old boys dead and three other teens injured, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office said.
The prosecutor’s office said the boys were having a sleepover Sunday and, on a dare, drove in a Toyota Prius to a nearby home on Mojeska Summit Drive to ring a doorbell and run.
Chandra, who lived in the home where the prank was played, got into his Infiniti sedan and chased the youths in the Prius, authorities said
The California Highway Patrol said Chandra intentionally rammed the back of the Prius, forcing the driver to lose control and hit a tree at Temescal Canyon Road near Trilogy Parkway. Temescal Valley is a county area south of Corona.
The district attorney’s special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders makes Chandra eligible for the death penalty if convicted as currently charged. District Attorney Michael Hestrin has not made a decision on pursuing that sentence, spokesman John Hall said.
“We believe this was something done egregiously,” Hall said after Thursday’s hearing. “It’s just beyond what someone’s reaction should be to someone ringing your doorbell and running away.”
The Riverside County Coroner’s Office identified those killed as Daniel Hawkins, 16, of Corona; Drake Ruiz, 16, of Corona; and Jacob Ivascu, 16, of Riverside. The District Attorney’s Office on Thursday said the survivors included two boys ages 13 and 14, and the driver, who is 18.
Parents of Hawkins, Ruiz and Ivascu spoke briefly outside court Thursday. They did not mention the defendant.
“We are appreciative of the community. We are just thankful there are a lot of beautiful people,” Craig Hawkins said. “They (the boys) didn’t deserve what happened to them.”
Hawkins choked up as he spoke, prompting Debbie Ruiz to place her hand on his back.
Said Alex Ivascu: “I know justice will be served.”
Chandra appeared in court wearing a red jail jumpsuit signifying an at-risk inmate. Judge David Gunn approved of Deputy Public Defender Christine Juneau’s request to allow him to wear civilian clothes at future hearings. Gunn denied Juneau’s motion to prohibit the media from photographing or filming Chandra at Thursday’s hearing.
Chandra remained in custody on a no-bail hold at Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside.
Staff writer Richard K. De Atley contributed to this report.