Conn. Teen Facing Homicide Charges After Accident That Killed Jogger

NEW CANAAN, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- A high school junior is facing homicide charges after being accused of running down an innocent jogger in Fairfield County.

Police said the accident was as simple as it was deadly. The cell phone was out in the driver's hand and the car veered for just a moment over the white line at the edge of the road before a sickening impact that left 44-year-old Kenneth Dorsey dead.

Now, the 16-year-old driver who hit him has been charged with negligent homicide. The juvenile was called in by Norwalk Police for an emotional reckoning.

"Very sad, very remorseful, very tearful. She and her family came in," said Norwalk Police Chief Harry Rilling, describing the teen driver's reaction.

It will not be difficult for police to make the case, CBS 2's Lou Young reported.

Authorities know when the accident happened from the 911 calls that came in and the cell phone contained the rest of the information they needed, including where the driver was, what she was doing and when she did it.

The very thing police said distracted her, sealed her fate, Young reported.

"We do a forensic analysis of the phone after we get a search warrant for it," Chief Rilling said.

The victim's companion said the arrest will help only if it spreads the word about the dangers of distracted driving. She said she thinks about the young driver a lot.

"I can't even imagine what she's feeling and what her family is feeling. I sympathize with that, but at the same time, she's still here and can still do good from this and Ken is not," Dawn Jeffrey said.

The victim's friends are hoping the example of an arrest will give us a reason to stop and think about how dangerous this thing can be when you're behind the wheel.

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