Two drivers have been charged with second-degree murder after a “speed contest” led to a deadly Nov. 4 crash that killed the parents of 7-year old twins, a Peninsula district attorney said Tuesday.
A 17-year old whose vehicle crashed, leading to the fiery deaths of Greg Ammen and Grace Spiridon in another vehicle, was arrested Friday, according to police. The suspect was behind the wheel of a vehicle that collided with Ammen and Spiridon’s car, killing them both instantly.
The couple’s 7-year old daughters were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Their loss has galvanized the Redwood City community; a GoFundMe dedicated to supporting the young children had raised more than half a million dollars by Tuesday afternoon.
On Tuesday, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe confirmed to the Bay Area News Group that he would charge the juvenile driver, as well as the 23-year-old that was allegedly driving another vehicle in the race, with second-degree murder.
Two passengers in the 17-year-old’s car also were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police say the juvenile and 23-year old Kyle Harrison of Redwood City were engaged in a “speed contest” just before the deadly crash occurred. Harrison was arrested at his home Monday.
According to the DA’s Office, the two suspects were strangers, and initiated a street race while at a stop light. When the light turned green, both drivers took off at speeds between 80 and 90 miles per hour.
Harrison drove off from the scene unharmed, but a witness captured his license plate on her phone camera, leading to his arrest.
Wagstaffe said both suspects were charged with three counts: two counts of second-degree murder and one felony charge of racing on a public road. The 17-year old suspect faces an additional charge on inflicting injury to one of the 7-year old children, a passenger in Ammen and Spiridon’s vehicle.
The 17-year old has been charged in juvenile court, but Wagstaffe said he had requested that the case be transferred to adult court. In a process that Wagstaffe said takes months, the suspect will be subject to hearings to determine whether he’ll be charged as an adult.
