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Weber County prosecutors pressed charges against a 17-year-old boy involved in a crash that killed a West High cheerleader in February.
The 17-year-old boy behind the wheel is charged with negligent homicide in juvenile court for allegedly causing the crash. Ben Willoughby, with the Weber County District Attorney's Office, said, "These charges have been a long time coming."
Alyssa Lopez was on her way home from a state basketball tournament at Weber State University on Feb. 26 when police say a Honda Civic full of Granger High students tried to catch up and clipped the car Lopez was in. That sent the car spinning into oncoming traffic. Lopez died on the scene.
Prosecutors say the driver of the Civic was so negligent in his driving that it exceeded just a lack of care. "It rises to the level where it's considered gross negligence. Where it's so far from what a reasonable person would do that it becomes a crime," Willoughby said.
But what took so long to get to this point? Willoughby said they waited for all the facts to trickle in; namely, forensic analysis of paint transfer between cars. "There's paint scuffs on all the vehicles," he said. "We wanted to have those analyzed to get a better idea of how these ... how the accident occurred."
If convicted, the young man could face a range of sentences, anything from community service and probation to real jail time. "It's not a case where we're looking for leniency. His age puts him in the juvenile justice system," Willoughby said. "Beyond that, he's old enough to drive, and there's nothing about his case in particular that cries out for leniency."
Willoughby hopes this will send out a more important message to teen drivers. He said, "I think this case is a warning to young drivers everywhere. Sometimes the choices you make behind the wheel can take someone else's life, and that's something that can't ever be set right."
The teen was arrested Monday and later released. The next step will be the 17-year-old's arraignment.
E-mail: tcallan@ksl.com
E-mail: ngonzales @ksl.com
