Lawyers have filed a lawsuit on behalf of 8-year-old twin girls whose parents were killed in a crash caused by street racing on El Camino Real in Redwood City.
A family of four — parents and the twins — were driving home from the girls’ grandmother’s house Nov. 4 when they were struck by a car moving 100 mph, killing both parents, Gregory Ammen and Grace Spiridon, instantly. They were less than 10 minutes away from their San Carlos home at the time of the crash. The twins, Madison and Olivia Ammen, survived and suffered minor injuries.
According to the complaint filed in the lawsuit, Cesar Salto Morales and Kyle Harrison were racing each other down El Camino Real in Redwood City, where the speed limit is 35 mph.
When they pulled up to the same traffic light, Morales challenged Harrison to a race and the two revved their engines back and forth. Passengers in Morales’ car, identified in the complaint as E.S. and J.M., shouted at Harrison to provoke him to race while a passenger in Harrison’s car yelled at Morales to “blow the light.”
As the light turned green, the two cars accelerated at a speed of approximately 75 to 80 mph, according to witness accounts. Morales struck the front passenger side of the Ammens’ car as they approached the same intersection, launching their car over 100 feet.
The lawsuit is being brought by Michael Ammen, the twins’ uncle, against Morales, Harrison, minor passengers E.S. and J.M. as well as Morales’ parents.
Morales’ parents, the lawsuit alleged, were aware of their son’s “proclivity for reckless driving.” Since the parents allegedly allowed him to drive on the night of the crash despite this knowledge, Michael Ammen is suing them for negligent entrustment.
Michael Ammen is seeking compensatory and general damages against the defendants as well as any damages allowable under the wrongful death statute and relief for past and future medical, incidental, household and service expenses on behalf of the twins. — by Bay City News