Father facing charges for deadly crash caused by teen son
The father of the 15-year-old, who caused a crash that took the life of a grandmother and her 3 grandchildren, has been charged with manslaughter. FOX 35’s Matt Trezza has the latest.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The father of a Florida teen accused of causing a deadly crash in 2023 has been charged with several counts of manslaughter related to that crash, according to court records.
In new court documents, authorities allege that the dad let his unlicensed 15-year-old drive three of his friends around town before the deadly crash, and intentionally moved another vehicle out of the driveway that was blocking the other vehicle.
FHP said the 15-year-old is facing four counts of vehicular homicide in the crash.
FHP: Grandmother, 3 grandchildren killed in 2023 crash
The backstory:
The crash happened on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023, at the intersection of Laurel Avenue and San Miguel Road in Poinciana, FHP said.
According to FHP, a 2012 Chevy Impala driven by a 15-year-old boy failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into the side of a 2022 Honda HR-V.
The impact of the crash caused the Honda to spin and slam into a light pole, FHP said.
Three people inside the Honda were killed: Trinidad Hernandez and her three grandchildren: Mylie Cruz, Marvin Cruz, and Anayari Hernnadez, aged 1, 9, and 11.
Days after the crash, Sabrina Hernandez, the mother of the children who died, attended a candlelight memorial.
“I’m dying inside. “”I don’t get to see my children anymore, I don’t get to see my mother anymore,” she told FOX 35 at the time.
Mom speaks out after 3 kids killed in crash
A candlelight memorial is set up at a deadly intersection where three children and their grandmother were killed. Investigators said a teenager was speeding and hit the family’s car – and now the mother of the victims is speaking out.
“This is the outcome. I lost my entire family, right here in this spot,” Hernandez said. “I will never wake up and see my children again.”
Father of alleged teen driver charged a year later
What we know:
Richard Seymour Ferguson, 68, was arrested this week on four counts of vehicular manslaughter related to the crash.
According to the arrest report, Ferguson “knowingly assisted his son (redacted) by moving one vehicle out of the way so that (his son) could enter (the vehicle) which was parked in the driveway,” and allowed three of his friends – all minors – to drive with him. =
The report also alleges that he knew his 15-year-old son did not have a driver’s permit nor a license.
A judge set bond at $15,000 per charge, totaling $60,000.
Is the son facing charges in the crash?
According to a spokesperson for FHP, an arrest warrant has been issued for the son, who has not been identified. FHP said the State Attorney’s Office plans to charge him with three counts of vehicular homicide.
It is unclear if he is facing those charges as a juvenile or an adult. FOX 35 typically does not name juvenile defendants, unless their case has been upgraded to adult court.
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The Source: The information in this story comes from the Feb. 2025 arrest warrant for Richard Ferguson, the FHP cras report related to the Sept. 2023 crash, as well as previous FOX 35 reporting in 2023 and 2024.
