Driver in Rancho Santa Fe Crash Will Not be Tried as Adult

The Torrey Pines High School teenager who crashed his car after a late night party in Rancho Santa Fe will not be tried as an adult for the death of passenger Alexander Capozza. The driver Branden Butler was not hurt in the accident, and is currently being held in Juvenile Hall on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving.

As discussed in an earlier blog entry, the car driven by Butler was carrying five people when in veered off La Granada Road at approximately 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning and rolled several times. Another passenger Jamie Arnold suffered serious injuries in the accident, and is currently hospitalized. Three others, including Butler, were not injured. According to new accounts, the three uninjured individuals were all wearing seatbelts, while Butler and Capozza were not.

Police are still investigating the accident, and trying to determine where the boys, all high school students, obtained alcohol that night, and whether there were adults involved.

Many lessons can be taken away from this sad tragedy, the type of which seems to strike at least one local high school every year. Just over a week ago a Vista teenager from Ranch Buena Vista High School died in a car accident. Let’s hope the high-profile nature of this preventable car accident saves other lives down the road.

Source: 10News.com

The San Diego personal injury lawyer Randy Walton at the Walton Law Firm represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents and malpractice matters. Call (760) 607-1325 for a free consultation.