Wednesday, May 9, 2012
By KEN BRADLEY - Staff Writer
A Wirtz teenager has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with a wreck on Jan. 23 that killed one person and injured four others, according to documents filed Tuesday in the Franklin County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.
Marina D. Snyder, 17, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Zachary Ian Parsons, 17, of Boones Mill, who was a front-seat passenger in the 2000 Mercury Cougar she was driving when the crash occurred on Route 122.
Snyder waived her right to a hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge W.N. Alexander II issued an order to allow the Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to advance the felony manslaughter charge to the grand jury that will convene on June 4.
A misdemeanor charge of reckless driving in connection with the incident was dropped by the Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Snyder and two other teenagers in her car were injured in the crash, along with the driver of a pickup truck that was struck by Snyder's car, according to Sgt. Rob Carpentieri with the Virginia State Police.
The crash occurred about about 3:34 p.m. when the Cougar driven by Snyder was traveling north on Route 122 near Beechdale Road, Carpentieri said. The car was traveling at a high rate of speed when it entered a curve.
Snyder lost control of the car, which crossed the center lane and struck two southbound vehicles -- a 2008 Toyota Scion, driven by Jason Beavers, 28, of Collinsville, and a 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup, driven by Jonathan Hall, 26, of Glade Hill, Carpentieri said.
After the Cougar struck the two vehicles, it ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a building and two parked cars that were unoccupied, Carpentieri said.
Beavers was not injured, but Hall was transported to the hospital, Carpentieri said. Both men were wearing seatbelts.
Snyder and two 17-year-old males in the back seat of the Cougar were also transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Carpentieri said.
According to the court documents, Snyder must be supervised by her parents or grandparents at all times and must wear an electronic monitoring device. Snyder is also forbidden to drive and is not allowed to leave the state without the permission of the court.
Snyder, who sustained significant injuries in the crash, has been homeschooled since February.
If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Snyder could face up to 10 years in prison.
Three civil lawsuits have been filed against Snyder in connection with the wreck.
Gregory Kinsey has filed a $2.5 million lawsuit on behalf of his son, Anthony Cole Kinsey, 17, who was a back-seat passenger in the car driven by Snyder. Kinsey sustained a traumatic brain injury, along with multiple facial bone fractures to both legs and lacerations to his spleen and liver, according to Will Davis, Kinsey's attorney.
The estate of Zachary Ian Parsons, who was killed in the Jan. 23 crash, filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against Snyder in February.
Jonathan Hall also filed a lawsuit in February against Snyder. The lawsuit alleges that Snyder "operated her vehicle in the plaintiff's lane of travel," striking his pickup "with great force and violence." |
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