Man Charged With Vehicular Manslaughter In Crash That Killed Grandmother, Granddaughter
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A man was charged Monday with two counts of vehicular manslaughter in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a 54-year-old woman and her 2-year-old granddaughter in Irvine.
Alec Scott Abraham, 20, of Costa Mesa, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Santa Ana. In addition to the manslaughter counts, Abraham was also charged with hit-and-run causing death, reckless driving with bodily injury and a misdemeanor count of petty theft. His arraignment was postponed until June 23.
Abraham is accused of causing the crash that happened about 9 p.m. Wednesday on Alton Parkway at Barranca Parkway. Katherine Hampton, 54, of Lake Forest, died at the scene. Her granddaughter, Kaydence Hampton, died at 2:20 p.m. Sunday.
The girl's 7-year-old brother and 28-year-old mother remain hospitalized.
Police said they are investigating the possibility that street racing was involved in the crash.
According to prosecutors, Abraham was driving a black Ford Mustang west on Alton Parkway and ran a red light, slamming into the driver's side of a Chevy Cruze driven by Katherine Hampton. The vehicles struck a black Honda Civic that was stopped at the intersection.
The 44-year-old woman driving that car was treated at a hospital and has since been released.
Prosecutors said that just after the crash, Abraham approached a bystander and asked to use a cell phone, then ran from the scene with the phone. He was arrested Thursday in Costa Mesa and is being held on $1 million bail.
Police said another vehicle -- a dark-colored, lowered coupe or sedan, possibly a Mustang – was seen traveling at a high rate of speed and fleeing the area of the crash.
Anyone with information about the possible street race or the second car and its driver can call Irvine police Detective Jonathan Cherney at (949) 724-7024.
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