Freeway crash takes life of Newbury Park youth, 18
Passenger Ryan Edwards killed; driver may face drug charges
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

Three young men from the Thousand Oaks area had almost made it home safely from Tijuana, Mexico on Monday, but one of the teenagers was killed when their vehicle left the northbound side of the 101 Freeway just south of Rancho Road exit.

The 2007 Scion made an unsafe turn, hit a sign and rolled down an embankment at 2:10 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

The identity of the 18-year-old who died was not immediately released because the teen's parents were on vacation in Italy and hadn't been notified of their son's death, CHP Officer Randy Pickens said. Later on Monday, Deputy Medical Examiner Michael Tellez said passenger Ryan Edwards of Newbury Park died of multiple blunt force injuries.

The 17-year-old driver and the other passenger, Brandon Kessler, 18, survived because they were wearing seat belts, Pickens said. Edwards was not. Kessler, of Thousand Oaks, suffered minor injuries. The driver, whose name was not released because he is a minor, suffered moderate cuts to his head.

Edwards was partially ejected from the rolling car. The vehicle came to rest on top of him when it stopped on a lane of the transition road between the 101 Freeway and the 23 Freeway.

The driver, from Newbury Park, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence of a drug, a CHP report said.

Suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in the car by CHP officers, who also observed that the driver appeared to be intoxicated, Pickens said.

If test results come back positive, the driver could be charged with felony driving under the influence and vehicle manslaughter, Pickens said. Later Monday the driver was released to his parents.

Without speaking specifically about a particular case, Senior Deputy District Attorney John Zanarelli explained what the charges could mean in general terms.

A 17-year-old could be charged as a juvenile or an adult. The difference could mean time served in state prison as an adult or in a juvenile detention center.

Felony DUI carries a maximum three years. The penalty for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated could be a maximum four years.

Ten years is the maximum sentence for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, Zanarelli said. The minimum penalty for someone with no prior convictions could be probation.