Edith Delgado pleads not guilty to manslaughter, speeding [1]
Saturday, July 8, 2006 - 18:15. Updated on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 - 19:50.
The teenage driver charged with the killing of two members of the Tongan royal family and their driver after slamming into their car pleaded not guilty on Friday, July 7 (US time) to vehicular manslaughter, according to AP news service.
Edith Delgado, 18, of Redwood City, was held in lieu of $US3 million bail after her arraignment in San Mateo County Superior Court on manslaughter and speeding charges.
Delgado, who received her driver's license in February, was charged with killing Prince Tu'ipelehake, 56 and Princess Kaimana, 46, in the Wednesday night crash on Highway 101 in Menlo Park, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of San Francisco.
Vinisia Hefa, 36, of East Palo Alto, who was driving the red Ford Explorer carrying the prince and princess, was also killed, authorities said.
If convicted of the manslaughter counts, Delgado faces up to eight years in prison, a prosecutor said. Delgado was driving her Ford Mustang as fast as 100 mph (160 kph) while racing another vehicle when she crashed into the driver's side of Hefa's car, causing it to swerve across several lanes before rolling on its roof, said California Highway Patrol Officer Ricky Franklin. Delgado was not injured in the crash.
Bay Area Tongans
Near the crash site, Bay Area Tongans set up a memorial Friday that included flowers, their country's flag and pieces of the wreckage. Hefa's cousin, Tulu Musua Pongi, of East Palo Alto, placed flowers on the shrine Friday morning. She said Hefa worked as the royal couple's secretary in Tonga before emigrating to the U.S. three years ago. She said the tragic accident had left the community in shock. "Everybody's feeling sad," said Pongi, 35. "They didn't expect this to happen. They're wondering what really happened that night."