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. She said her staff objected to the ruling and asked to keep the case confidential because the defendant is under 18. Frugoli said juvenile matters are usually confidential under state law.
“In any event, because this matter is an ongoing investigation, the district attorney will not release any non-public information, including witness statements or evidence, before final adjudication of the allegations,” she said.
The girl’s defense attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
The charges followed a California Highway Patrol investigation that ended in August. 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.”
One survivor recalled seeing a vehicle partially cross into her vehicle’s lane before the crash, according to the CHP report. Investigators could not find evidence that a second vehicle was involved in the incident.
The CHP recommended charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and violating the terms of a driver’s license. Police did not allege intoxication.
The girls had planned to have a sleepover at a friend’s home that night, the CHP reported.
While criminal proceedings are underway, the county is facing at least 10 legal claims over the crash. The claims, a precursor to potential lawsuits, accuse the county of negligence in designing and maintaining the road, among other allegations.
Following the crash, the county’s public works staff installed advisory signs that alert drivers to an approaching curve in the road. More road improvements are being considered.