RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California man accused of killing three teenage boys by deliberately ramming their automobile after they performed a doorbell-ringing prank on him was discovered responsible Friday of homicide.
Anurag Chandra was convicted in a Riverside County courtroom of three counts of first-degree homicide and three counts of tried homicide.
“The homicide of those younger males was a horrendous and mindless tragedy for our group. I thank the jury for his or her verdict. This is a crucial step towards justice,” county District Lawyer Mike Hestrin stated in an announcement.
Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register through AP
Chandra’s lawyer, David Wohl, didn’t instantly return a request for remark Friday.
The victims, who had been all 16 years previous, had been amongst six teenagers inside a Toyota Prius on Jan. 19, 2020 when Chandra deliberately rammed their car off the highway and fled, prosecutors stated.
The Prius’ driver misplaced management and the sedan slammed right into a tree in Temescal Valley, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
The chums had dared one boy to both soar right into a pool at night time or play “ding dong ditch.”
Chandra, who didn’t know the teenagers, testified at trial that one of many boys rang his doorbell and uncovered his buttocks earlier than operating away, in line with The Riverside Press-Enterprise. Chandra testified that he adopted as a result of he feared for his household’s security and wished to specific his anger. He stated he was “extraordinarily, extraordinarily mad” from the prank.
Chandra additionally testified that he drank 12 beers within the hours earlier than the crash, the newspaper reported. He stated he didn’t plan to crash into the Prius and testified that he didn’t cease after rear-ending the sedan as a result of he didn’t understand anybody had been injured — although he admitted below cross-examination that he had been driving 99 mph (159 kph) earlier than the collision.
The crash killed Daniel Hawkins of Corona; Drake Ruiz of Corona; and Jacob Ivascu of Riverside, in line with the Riverside County coroner’s workplace.
Sergio Campusano was the Prius’ 18-year-old driver on the time. He and then-13-year-olds Joshua Hawkins and Joshua Ivascu survived the crash. They testified on the trial and had been within the courtroom when the decision was learn.
Chandra already was going through legal expenses in reference to alleged home violence in 2020 when the killings occurred.