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One of two people accused of killing a San Carlos couple following a street race in Redwood City last fall will return to court next year to find out whether he will be tried as an adult.
Cesar Morales, 18, of Redwood City, and Kyle Harrison, 24, are accused of racing their vehicles on El Camino Real at Howard Avenue in San Carlos on November 4, 2022, traveling south on El Camino Real at speeds over 80 mph.
Grace Spiridon,42, and Gregory Ammen,44, were in a Chevrolet Bolt vehicle with their twin 7-year-old daughters in the backseat, turning left onto El Camino Real from Finger Avenue in Redwood City, attempting to drive north on El Camino Real when their vehicle was allegedly broadsided by Morales, instantly killing Spiridon and Ammen, according to the DA’s Office. Spiridon and Ammen’s daughters survived the crash.
At a transfer hearing set for April, Judge Susan I. Etezadi will determine if Morales, who was 17 at the time of the crash, will be transferred to the San Mateo County Superior Court.
San Mateo County Assistant District Attorney Sean Gallagher said the district attorney’s office requested Morales’ case to be transferred to adult court.
“The only cases we ever asked to be certified (transferred to adult court) in the last five to eight years are murder cases,” Gallagher said.
Morales, who is facing two second-degree murder charges, could face 30 years to life in prison if he is tried as an adult. But if his case remains in juvenile court, he can only be held in Juvenile Hall until he is 25, according to the DA’s Office.
Johanna Rasmussen, San Mateo County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission's incoming chair said she believes charging juveniles as an adult isn’t conducive to rehabilitating troubled youth and it doesn’t improve public safety.
“We feel we have the ability and capacity to rehabilitate all children in the juvenile justice system,” Rasmussen said.
Gallagher said during the hearing process, witnesses will be called, and the Juvenile Probation Department will detail a report on Morales’ background, prior criminal history, and circumstances of the crime, including a recommendation as to whether he should be tried as an adult.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys can present evidence and argue which court Morales’ case suits best. Ultimately, the Etezadi will make the final decision. Once the process resolves, the case will continue with its regular proceedings.
A wrongful death lawsuit, filed against Morales’s parents and Harrison, is also pending in court. It includes a demand for a jury trial. Attorney Niall McCarthy, who represents the plaintiffs, said the case is in the beginning stages, and the trial is anticipated to begin next year.
Morales is detained until the case is resolved. He returns to court on April 15, 2024, according to the DA’s Office.
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