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Teen Driver Charged For Traffic Killing Of Monique Muñoz
One LAPD investigator described the fatal Feb. 17 crash at Olympic Boulevard and Overland Avenue as "complete devastation." Officials believe the victim, 32-year-old Monique Muñoz, died almost instantly.
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Courtesy LAPD West Traffic Division via Twitter
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The 17-year-old driver who crashed a Lamborghini SUV into another car at a high rate of speed, killing that driver, Monique Muñoz, has now been charged for her death.
A spokesperson from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed at least one charge has been filed against the driver, but would not say what the charge or charges were. The driver has not been named by prosecutors or police due to his age.
"Because this case involves juvenile proceedings, we are legally barred from disclosing any further information at this time," spokesperson Ricardo Santiago told LAist today.
The fatal crash happened on Feb. 17 at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Overland Avenue in West Los Angeles. According to L.A. Police Department investigators, the 17-year-old male driver entered the intersection "well in excess of the speed limit" and struck Muñoz's car as she was about to turn left from the opposite side of Olympic. The 32-year-old woman died at the scene.
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In March, LAPD investigators told me they sent their case to the DA's office and recommended the driver be charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. One detective said that was based on accounts of the driver's behavior behind the wheel right before the collision, plus the fact that he's been cited previously for similar behavior.
The driver is set to be arraigned in Juvenile Court on April 23 in Inglewood.
After Muñoz's death, her family and friends rallied for justice on social media and organized community protests, saying DA George Gascón was not moving fast enough to prosecute the driver. Amid that outrage, a lot of rumors and speculations spread about how police and the DA's office were handling the investigation and case.
I sorted through the facts here:
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