Teen driver races through red light at 112mph before killing mum and three kids in horror crash
A teen driver was charged with homicide[1] after travelling through a red light at breakneck speed before killing a mum and three kids in an “incredibly violent collision”.
Chase Jones, 18, was allegedly driving at 112mph in his brand new Audi A4 when he smashed into a van at an intersection in Renton, Washington on March 19 – resulting in a three-car pile-up[2]. The teenager was arrested after his car crash[3] in the 40mph zone killed Andrea Hudson, 38, Boyd Buster Brown, 12, and sisters Matilda Wilcoxson, 13, and Eloise Wilcoxson, 12.
Two of Andrea’s own children, Nolan, 14, and Charlotte, 12, survived but are currently in intensive care. But the mum and the three kids she was driving were “immediately killed” in the “incredibly violent collision,” according to court documents obtained by KOMO News.
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Facebook)
The King County Prosecutor’s Office charged Jones with four counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, and reckless driving for the crash on Tuesday. The death crash marked his third speeding collision in the past year, according to court documents.
Police bodycam footage shared to the court revealed him admitting going too fast during his first crash in May last year in Kent, Washington. “I saw an open road. I was definitely going above the speed limit of 25,” Jones said of the speed limit where he was pulled over.
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The teen said he believed he was travelling at “40 or 50 [mph]” when a police officer asked him the speed he thought he was travelling at. An officer was heard saying: “He told me he was speeding down the street… that dude was hauling.”
The other driver involved in the crash said he was turning into the road when Jones’ vehicle came hurtling along. He told the police: “By the time I got out there, there was just a pair of lights, and they were going so fast, I tried to put it in reverse and get backwards, but by the time I got in reverse to go backwards it was already gone.”
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For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US[5]
Jones was let off with a warning, with a cop saying: “It’s a mistake, mistakes happen. Lessons need to be learned, as long as you learn it”. However, the 18-year-old didn’t learn his lesson.
The second road traffic accident involving the teen reportedly occurred in January 2024. Prosecutors wrote that Jones “totalled another vehicle,” with the other driver complaining he had “not seen” his car due to how fast he was driving.
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Kent Police Dep.)
Despite the tragic deaths, the grieving families said they have forgiven Jones.
“We try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. We believe in unconditional forgiveness and we pray and we plead for you to pray for the young man who caused this terrible accident and pray for his family,” Matilda and Eloise’s dad Chase Wilcoxson told the Kent Reporter.
Jones reportedly also sustained serious injuries due to the crash. It is currently not clear what condition he is in.
References
- ^ homicide (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ three-car pile-up (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ car crash (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Los Palacios crash: Six dead as lorry driver smashes into cars at checkpoint (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ The Mirror US (www.themirror.com)