14-year-old charged with murder in deadly crash

[Travis B]

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...s-13502912.php

A 14-year-old boy behind the wheel of an SUV being chased by a car that had been vandalized with eggs has been charged with murder after a fatal crash in north Harris County.

The boy, who sustained a broken ankle, was booked Wednesday into the county's juvenile detention center. Meanwhile, a driver targeted during the joyride prank, who then chased him to an intersection in the Magnolia Gardens area, has been located and is cooperating with police, authorities said. That man allegedly brandished a semi-automatic handgun during the chase, deputies said.

Neither the boy nor the other driver's name has been released. The chase led to a crash that killed 45-year-old Silvia Zavala.

The incident started around 2 p.m. Tuesday, when the teen driver and two of his friends inside a GMC Acadia were throwing eggs at cars near Aldine Mail Route Road and Russ Drive, authorities said. One of the eggs was aimed at a gold 1970s model Lincoln with a white top, and police said that driver pursued them to the next intersection at Aldine Westfield Road.

The 14-year-old sped through a red light at the Aldine Westfield intersection and T-boned the woman, who was driving a Ford F-150, police said. The impact, caught on camera from a nearby business, sent a cloud of debris flying into the air as both vehicles tumbled into a ditch.

The Lincoln fled the scene, but police later located the driver.

Sean Teare, who leads the Harris County District Attorney’s Office’s Vehicular Crimes Division, said the driver who chased after the teen could face a felony charge of failure to stop and render aid to the woman who died in the wreck.

“I believe enough evidence exists to present that to a grand jury,” Teare said.

The victim in the wreck, Zavala, was “the only person who was doing nothing wrong,” the prosecutor said.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez previously said that Zavala had been shopping prior to the crash.

The other minors in the car haven't been charged. The teen was charged with murder because he was allegedly committing a state jail felony of unauthorized use of a vehicle, causing the deadly crash, said Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Deputy Thomas Gilliland.

Teare was unable to say whose vehicle the teen suspect was driving other that than he was unauthorized to drive it. Details of his criminal proceedings were not made public because he is a minor.

Do you think murder is an appropriate charge in this case?

[Zogarth]

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...s-13502912.php




Do you think murder is an appropriate charge in this case?

He did kill somebody... But i do believe that the parents also deserve some amount of punishment.

[Cerilis]

I can't see how this is murder instead of manslaughter.

[ellieg]

Are you legally required to render aid? I'm asking honestly. Is it something you agree to when you get your license?

[alzoron]

Texas defines murder really weirdly compared to almost everywhere else. Almost everywhere else this would be manslaughter.

[Vanyali]

Are you legally required to render aid? I'm asking honestly. Is it something you agree to when you get your license?

"render aid" could be as simple as calling and reporting the accident.

[Zantos]

No. What the heck? The person to blame was the guy brandishing a Friggin gun and chasing him. The accident wouldn't have even happened had he not started chasing them with a gun. The kid broke the law and was doing something stupid, But come on! Someone running away from a gun being drawn on them shouldn't be the ones being charged with murder. Maybe manslaughter. But not murder by any means. He was fleeing for his own life.

[Kathandira]

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...s-13502912.php




Do you think murder is an appropriate charge in this case?

Involuntary Manslaughter.

[ellieg]

"render aid" could be as simple as calling and reporting the accident.

Ya I get that and I definitely would, just didnt know it was legally a requirement

[Rustedsaint]

Think manslaughter is a better charge, thou I hope the other driver gets charged too

[ellieg]

Its murder because he was committing a felony that lead to a death. A lot of states have that.

[Vanyali]

Ya I get that and I definitely would, just didnt know it was legally a requirement

it's not just a driver thing, if you see a crime you are legally obligated to report it. Not necessarily to step in, though some states do / did have laws requiring you to do that within reason.

[Onikaroshi]

This 14 year old will probably end up getting time in juvie or something over being chased, while mr. Rich kid got 10 years probation as a slap on the wrist over killing 4 while drunk.... the world we live in.

[Puri]

No idea how murder is defined in the US, here it would fail the requirements for murder and he'd be charged for manslaughter.

[Onikaroshi]

No idea how murder is defined in the US, here it would fail the requirements for murder and he'd be charged for manslaughter.

It's usually manslaughter. But he probably doesn't have money so who knows what they'll give him.

[Altrec]

No. What the heck? The person to blame was the guy brandishing a Friggin gun and chasing him. The accident wouldn't have even happened had he not started chasing them with a gun. The kid broke the law and was doing something stupid, But come on! Someone running away from a gun being drawn on them shouldn't be the ones being charged with murder. Maybe manslaughter. But not murder by any means. He was fleeing for his own life.

While the person that brandished the firearm shared in the blame the primary person responsible for this chain of events begins and ends with the kid.

[Zantos]

Its murder because he was committing a felony that lead to a death. A lot of states have that.

What felony was he committing? Even if he didn't have a license, it would be a misdemeanor in Texas.

[ellieg]

What felony was he committing? Even if he didn't have a license, it would be a misdemeanor in Texas.

"The teen was charged with murder because he was allegedly committing a state jail felony of unauthorized use of a vehicle, causing the deadly crash, said Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Deputy Thomas Gilliland."

I believe it's because he was underage that bumped it up to a felony

[Vanyali]

What felony was he committing? Even if he didn't have a license, it would be a misdemeanor in Texas.

Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle. Its stated in the article.

[Zantos]

While the person that brandished the firearm shared in the blame the primary person responsible for this chain of events begins and ends with the kid.

Doesn't matter. The kid was an idiot, for sure. However, he is just that, a kid. The Adult committed a crime by giving chase in a vehicle, and brandishing a fire arm. So while the kid caused the anger, the guy who gave chase and had a guy escalated it and caused the accident to occur. I highly doubt that without that guy chasing in like that, he would have blown a red light.