New York Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
A 15 year old girl from Pleasantville behind the wheel of a 2001 Chevy Suburban in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania on August 30th is now facing several criminal charges, including possible vehicular manslaughter, as the result of a fatal accident which left three 15 year old boys dead and two other passengers injured. Because of the girl’s age, authorities have not released her name. At approximately 11:30 AM this past Saturday, August 30th, the driver, four 15 year old boys from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and a 16 year old girl from Westchester were passengers in the vehicle which overturned while the group was on their way home from a local restaurant for breakfast.
According to investigators, the vehicle was purportedly travelling at a high speed on Goose Pond Road. This road is described as a hilly, winding, 2 lane roadway with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour. The car went into a left hand curve, one of the right tires apparently went off the roadway, and the car flipped more than once. A local resident from Lake Ariel heard one of the passengers screaming “Slow down…slow down” just before hearing a loud crash. One of the 15 year old boys was pronounced dead at the scene and two others were taken to local hospitals and died there. The three boys who were killed in the crash were identified as Ryan Lesher, Shamus Digney and Cullen Keffer, who all attended Council Rock High School in Bucks County.
Under both New York and Pennsylvania law, a driver must be at least 16 years of age to obtain a learner’s permit. Further, both states mandate that 16 year old drivers travel with a licensed driver who is at least 18 years of age. Here in New York, if the driver was charged as an adult, she could face vehicular manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges, which are felonies with potential jail sentences of up to 4 years in jail on each count. It would appear that if the driver is going to be criminally charged, as has been reported, there would be three charges of vehicular manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide, for the three boys that were killed. Additionally, she is also likely to be charged with misdemeanor reckless driving, the less serious criminal charge of unlicensed operation, and the traffic infraction of speeding.
Because the driver is under 16, she will be charged under the Pennsylvania Juvenile Act and under this statute, the details will not be made public.
Contact the Westchester County Criminal Defense Lawyers online or toll free at (914) 428-7386 if you or a family member are charged with a crime or a traffic infraction for a free consultation to discuss your case in detail, and your legal rights and options.