Parents of teen driver who died in 100 mph crash in New York City sentenced – NBC New York

The parents of a teen driver accused of manslaughtering a 14-year-old who crashed his BMW in Queens last year were sentenced Monday in connection with the groundbreaking case, the local district attorney said.

Prosecutors say the BMW was a gift from the teen driver’s father and that while he was permitted to drive with a junior driver’s license when accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older, there was no adult of that age in the car at the time of the May 17, 2023, accident.

Sean Smith, 40, and Deo Ramnarine, 43, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the case, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.

Smith, the teen’s father, was sentenced to three years’ probation and a 26-week parenting class after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. He must also participate in the Victim Impact Panel Program.

Ramnarine, the teenager’s mother, has since been ordered to attend a 26-week parenting course and must also participate in the Victim Impact Panel Program. If Ramnarine completes both programs, she will be allowed to withdraw her guilty plea of ​​endangering the welfare of a child and the disorderly conduct charge, to which she also pleaded guilty, will remain her only charge.

According to the district attorney, the couple gave their son access to the BMW even though he was not yet able to drive the car.

According to the investigation, on May 17, 2023, at around 6:30 p.m., the boy, then 16, was driving a red 2005 BMW 325i on North Conduit Avenue near 160th Street at 101 miles per hour in a speed limit zone.

The teenager, whose name is being withheld due to his age, lost control while changing lanes, hit a parked UPS truck, skidded across the road and crashed into a semi-trailer.

Fortune Williams, 14, was thrown from the passenger seat into the bed of the UPS truck on the initial impact. She suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene. Meanwhile, a UPS employee who was trying to get into his truck was thrown to the ground when the BMW crashed into the truck. He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for a large hematoma on his leg, a cut on his face and a bruised chest.

The teen driver was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries, where he told police he was taking Williams to her grandmother’s house.

In addition, Smith told police at the hospital that he had purchased the BMW for his son, even though it was registered in his name.

Prosecutors also said, citing the investigation, that witnesses saw the teen regularly driving the car and even a school administrator told parents he was driving to school. The teen also received a ticket in 2022 for driving without a license and driving while using a portable electronic device.

According to the investigation, Smith told the car insurance company three weeks after the fatal accident that his son had driven the BMW twice with him in the car and that the teenager was a good driver.

The now 17-year-old is facing numerous charges: second-degree manslaughter, three counts of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, reckless driving, exceeding the speed limit, unsafe lane changing on a roadway intended for traffic, unauthorized turning, two counts of operating a motor vehicle with tinted windows, operating or driving a motor vehicle without a license, and operating a motor vehicle in violation of a restricted permit or license.

His trial is ongoing and the teenager faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of the main charge.

“The parents of a 16-year-old gave their son a BMW even though he did not have the legal authority to drive it anywhere in New York City. We allege that because of this teen’s actions, 14-year-old Fortune Williams is now dead after she was thrown from the car as it crashed into a UPS delivery truck at more than 100 miles per hour,” Katz said. “With this conviction, we have shown that blame in a fatal accident can extend beyond the driver. Parents who provide vehicles to their children and let them drive illegally can be held accountable in the event of tragedies like this one. We will continue to seek justice for Fortune Williams and her grieving family.”