Man Accused in Daughter's Palm Desert Crash Death to Stand Trial

UPDATE at 4:54 PM on 2/19/19: The trial has been rescheduled for March 25, according to City News Service.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY -- A man accused of causing a Palm Desert crash that killed his infant daughter is set to stand trial Feb. 19 on second-degree murder and child endangerment charges.

Marcus Green of Thermal, now 54, was behind the wheel of a Porsche that struck a metal guardrail and tumbled down an embankment about 200 feet off state Route 74.

The May 1, 2016, crash killed his 5-month-old daughter, Armani, who was riding unrestrained in the sports car, and seriously injured the baby's mother, Kristen Lauer of Rancho Mirage, who was 22 at the time.

The baby, who was not in a car seat, was ejected from the Porsche and thrown about 90 feet from the car, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both Green and Lauer were seriously injured and taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. Green was released from the hospital and arrested four days after the crash.

Deputy District Attorney Samantha Paixao alleged that the baby was sitting on Lauer's lap because the car had racing modifications that prevented use of the backseats.

Lauer was also charged with murder and child endangerment.

Defense attorney David Greenberg argued that the evidence did not rise to the level of a murder charge, and that prosecutors had not shown Green exhibited a conscious disregard for his daughter's safety.

Green emphasized that intoxication played no role in the crash, and argued that the case warranted, at most, an involuntary manslaughter charge.

It is uncertain how fast Green was driving when the crash occurred, but Paixao contends that it was in excess of the area's 30 mph speed limit.

Green pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is being held in lieu of a $1.86 million bail at the Indio Jail.

City News Service contributed to this report/Image via Shutterstock