Teen Accused Of Running Over, Killing 4-Year-Old Ariel Russo Rejects Plea Deal, But Judge Gives Him Time To Reconsider
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Franklin Reyes Jr., the teenager accused of striking and killing 4-year-old Ariel Russo with an SUV, rejected a plea deal in court Wednesday.
In January, Judge Gregory Carro told Reyes, 18, he would sentence him to three to nine years in prison if he pleaded guilty in the June 2013 death of Ariel Russo and three unrelated cases.
"He's prepared to accept an offer, but not that offer," defense lawyer Martin Schmukler told Carro in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
Teen Accused Of Running Over 4-Year-Old Ariel Russo Rejects Plea Deal
Carro appeared stunned when Reyes turned down the deal. He informed him there would be no more offers, and then gave him until 10 a.m. Thursday to reconsider.
Reyes is accused of fatally running down Ariel while fleeing from police on the Upper West Side.
Ariel died after the SUV jumped a curb on Amsterdam Avenue at 97th Street while she was walking to school with her grandmother, who survived.
Teen Accused Of Running Over 4-Year-Old Ariel Russo Rejects Plea Deal
In September, Reyes was arrested again after allegedly dragging and injuring a police officer during a traffic stop.
While jailed days later, the teen complained of chest pains. After being cleared to leave the emergency room, he reportedly ran from authorities while being led back to a Department of Corrections van. He was apprehended 15 minutes later.
He and his father were also charged in June with looting an apartment where the father worked as the superintendent.
If he rejects the deal again and is convicted, Reyes would face four separate trials and more prison time, CBS2's Weijia Jiang reported.
Ariel's parents were convinced Reyes would take the offer because the sentence covered the other alleged offenses.
"I thought we were going to know today, and we don't know," said Sofia Russo, Ariel's mother. "We'll keep coming every day if we have to, until we get justice."
"If going to trial means more jail time for him, I have no problem -- nothing's ever going to be enough,"Ariel's father, Alex, told 1010 WINS' Al Jones.
Police officers had to restrain Reyes' mother and escort her out of court Wednesday after an emotional outburst. It was at least the third courtroom outburst by the woman.
Outside court, Lydia Reyes told reporters: "It was the last day of the school (year) when the accident happened. He was going to school. He made a mistake. He drove. But it was never his intention to hurt anybody."
She blames police for pursuing her son prior to the fatal accident.
"You can only plead guilty to something that you did, but he didn't do it," Lydia Reyes said.
The Russos also have a civil lawsuit pending against Reyes.
