Police: Teen was going 100 mph in fatal crash
Personal Injury News
Article Date: 10/2/2009 | Resource: MLG
Police: Teen was going 100 mph in fatal crash
“Authorities say sedan was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver apparently lost control of the car.”
LAGUNA NIGUEL An unlicensed 15-year-old teenager is believed to have been behind the wheel of a sedan that was speeding at more than 100 mph, killing an active U.S. soldier early this morning, authorities said.
The alleged driver and the 25-year-old soldier, who was on leave and visiting a friend, were leaving a party and were on their way to pick up more alcohol when the driver lost control of the car, hit a curb and rolled into a hillside, said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriffs Department. Investigators are waiting for the results of a blood-alcohol test to determine if the underage driver had been drinking.
The teenager, whose name is not being released because he is a minor, is expected to be booked today on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, Amormino said.
The 25-year-old passenger was identified as Nicholas Clayton, an active member of the U.S. Army who was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington. His original hometown is Youngsville, Louisiana, Amormino said.
Clayton was thrown from the rolling Lexus and found dead near the intersection of Camino del Avion and Niguel Road. The 15-year-old teenager was spotted by authorities about 100 feet from the crash, Amormino said, walking in a center median.
Investigators are trying to piece together details of the crash from the physical evidence, but conflicting accounts made by the survivor of the solo crash have hampered the investigation, Amormino said.
We have a lot of inconsistent statements, Amormino said.
Based on information they had received early during the investigation, authorities had at one point identified Clayton as the driver and released different ages for the teenager. After further investigation of the physical evidence, Amormino said, that information was found to be incorrect.
Authorities believe the solo crash occurred at about 1:50 a.m., while the driver of the Lexus LS400 was headed south on Camino del Avion, said Lt. Mike Jansen. The car is believed to have been traveling at speeds exceeding 100 mph when the driver lost control and jumped the curb.
Exactly who was driving was a point of contention early in the investigation, Amormino said.
Clayton was thrown from the vehicle in the crash and the unidentified teenager was also found outside the car, walking in a median.
The 15-year-old, who is believed to be from San Juan Capistrano, was taken to Mission Hospital to be treated. When he was interviewed by investigators, he gave conflicting statements regarding who was driving the car, his age and where he lived, Amormino said.
The sedan was found to have been registered to the parents of the teenager. Whether his parents were aware that the unlicensed boy was driving the vehicle was not immediately known.
The sheriff departments major accident reconstruction team is investigating the crash.
For more information regarding this article please contact:
Jeffrey Marquart
(949)589-0150
jmarquart@marquartlawgroup.com