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View Winners → Arcadia Detective to File Vehicular Manslaughter Charges With DA – 19 year old Driver Killed 16 Year Old Alice Zhang in Crosswalk in Early April
Arcadia Weekly May 09, 2011
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Detective Mike Hale and other APD officers investigate the accident that took the like of 16 year olf Alice Zhang last month - Photos by Terry Miller
Arcadia Detective to File Vehicular Manslaughter Charges
With DA – 19 year old Driver Killed 16 Year Old Alice Zhang in Crosswalk in Early April
By Terry Miller
Detective Mike Hale, from the Arcadia Police Dept. told the Arcadia Weekly Monday that he expects to file Vehicular Manslaughter (PC 192 – C1) charges with the District Attorney against the 19 year old driver of the Lexus that resulted in the death of 16 year old Arcadia High school student Alice Zhang last month at a crosswalk on Duarte.
The case will he handed to Los Angeles County District Attorney as early as Wednesday according to Detective Hale.
The 19 year old graduate of Arcadia High School who was the driver in the tragic accident is represented by Attorney Evan Freed.
Toxicology reports came back negative as did forensics on the driver’s cell phone.
Detective Hale is filing a Gross Negligence 192 (C) (1) with the DA’s office and feels he has “ a very strong case.” The reason: a dirty windshield impaired the driver’s vision.
During the investigation it was noted that other drivers had stopped for the girls crossing the crosswalk but apparently the 19 year old driver of the Lexus did not.
Attorney Evan Freed told Beacon Media that his client who is 19 years old has no criminal record and has been in the Army Reserves for approximately 1 year. Freed said “Most of all, it is a tragedy that destroyed the life of one young girl and severely injured another.” “As I understand it ( the case being presented to the DA) the case is light refraction.”
“Was it prudent for my client to drive his car and was he ‘driving blind’ as a result of the dirty windshield and the light of the sun striking the windshield ?” Freed said. He added that all these questions will be weighed once he gets all the evidence.
The other girl who was hit in the crosswalk in this accident has had several surgeries according to sources and suffered optic nerve damage. Part of her skull had to be removed to reduce swelling on the optic nerve to prevent blindness and a second plate put in her head.
Detective Hale said that other drivers had stopped at the crosswalk where Zhang and her friend were crossing but the 19 year old driver of the Lexus did not apparently see the two teenagers in the crosswalk.
Attorney Freed told Beacon media that his client and his family are devastated by this accident. Freed’s client faces up to 3 years in prison if convicted of gross negligence and vehicular manslaughter. If charged and convicted of the lesser crime ( Non gross vehicular manslaughter) his client could face 1 year in county jail.
Freed has been contacted by a civil attorney on behalf of the family of Alice Zhang and her friend.
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