An 18-year-old man was charged this week with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and other felony counts for leading Orange police on a pursuit in a stolen car leading to a crash in Long Beach that ultimately killed his passenger in March, authorities said.
Izaiah Joseph Miranda of Santa Ana was then accused of running away from the crash, leaving the passenger, a 15-year-old girl, seriously injured inside the car. The teen, identified as Denisse Pilego Roman, died several days later, Greg Risling, spokesman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, said.
Miranda also faces charges of hit and run with permanent injury or death, evading while driving recklessly causing death, child abuse and endangerment and one misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage, Risling said. He also faces an enhancement of fleeing the seen after committing manslaughter.
If convicted, Miranda faces a possible maximum sentence of more than 12 years in state prison, Risling said.
Orange police were notified of a stolen vehicle on March 8 and found the car with three people inside, “including two teenage residents of Orangewood Children’s Home,” Risling said.
Two teenagers, including the decedent, got out of the car, but Roman suddenly jumped into the front passenger seat and Miranda, the driver, drove away leading police on a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 120 mph on the 22 Freeway westbound and into Long Beach, Risling said.
Miranda was accused of running a red light along Seventh Street at Orange Avenue, where the stolen car was hit by another car, leaving Roman seriously injured. Miranda ran off after the crash and it was unclear whether he was arrested the day of the crash or at a later date.
“This car thief not only killed a 15-year-old girl, he endangered the lives of the law enforcement officers pursuing him and every other driver on the road who had no idea they were in the middle of a high-speed pursuit,” OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.
The third teenager who complied with officers during the initial response was arrested, Risling said.
Orangewood Children’s Home, located in the 400 block of The City Drive, is a nonprofit organization providing “transitional housing along with supportive services, housing referrals, and other housing assistance to support youth as they transition from foster care into independent adulthood,” according to the organization’s website.
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