3 victims' families don't want teen driver prosecuted in Marin County crash that killed 4 teens
MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- A Marin County teen charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence in connection with a tragic deadly accident in April was back in court on Wednesday. Four teens died, and two people, including the driver survived.
The attorney for the teen driver has requested additional discovery so the case was put over until January. In the meantime, the victims families are speaking out.
"A huge hole missing for all of us, it's really lonely, it feels really strange," said Linda Kepley, whose daughter, Ada, was killed in the crash.
Bonded in tragedy, a group of women are holding each other up.
"Cry everyday and remember everyday," said Gail Koren, whose granddaughter, Olive, passed away in the accident.
RELATED: CHP report on Marin Co. crash that killed 4 teens reveals driver was speeding; family responds
On April 18 at 7:25 p.m., a Marin teen, who ABC7 News is not naming because she is a minor, crashed into a tree.
Four teens died.
"We have to do what Olive would have wanted and that is to support her friend," said Koren.
"We did not know each other before and we've become very close through all of this," said Kepley.
According to a California Highway Patrol Report obtained by the ABC7 News I-Team, the teen driver was traveling at an unsafe speed between 60 and 65 miles per hour, in a 40 mile per hour zone.
RELATED: What we know about the teen victims and timeline in tragic Marin Co. crash that killed 4, injured 2
The speed was determined by the speedometer which the CHP says was frozen above 60 mph.
Jessica Glantz-Mira's daughter, Marley Barclay, survived the crash and told investigators she saw bright headlights just before the crash, and wasn't certain whether the driver was driving on the wrong side of the road or if another vehicle was in their lane.
The CHP report initially stated there was no physical evidence at the crash scene to support the involvement of a second vehicle.
Later in a supplemental portion of the report, the CHP officer stated, "My investigative findings do not allow for a definitive conclusion regarding another vehicle's presence or its relevance to the investigation."
"We think that there has been some mistakes that haven't come out yet and they will come out," said Koren.
RELATED: Marin Co. crash survivor's family details what happened before tragic accident that killed 4 teens
These family members are standing by the teen driver.
"We do not want her to be prosecuted. We think she's going to suffer for the rest of her life," said Kepley.
"It could have been any of one of our kids driving. It just is a horrible accident," she continued.
The next court date is January 14. The courtroom was full with spillover on Wednesday, and likely will be again, given how much this crash has impacted the community.
