Driver pleads guilty in crash that killed 3
A Whittier man accused of killing three people, including two Valencia residents, in a 2016 crash pleaded guilty Friday to all crimes charged in an 18-count amended complaint filed against him in exchange for a prison sentence of 22 years and four months
Dealio Lockhart, 35, appeared Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court scheduled to set a date for a preliminary hearing, charged with murder in a crash that killed Brian Lewandowski, 18, and Michelle Littlefield, 19, both of the Santa Clarita Valley.Instead, he entered a plea of guilty.
“Dealio Lockhart entered a guilty plea this afternoon in case BA444552 before Judge Jose Sandoval in Department 50,” Deputy District Attorney Michael Blake said “Lockhart admitted all crimes charged in an eighteen-count amended complaint for a negotiated term of 22 years, 4 months,” he said. Lockhart is scheduled to sentenced on April 12 The amended complaint against Lockhart alleged the following crimes:
- Three counts vehicular manslaughter.
- Four counts of engaging in a motor vehicle speed contest on a highway causing a specified injury.
- 10 counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.
Reflecting on the complexity of the case that stretched over three years, Blake said: “There was nothing easy about any of this, but the result was fair.“The CHP-MAIT Team and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department should be commended for their outstanding investigations in this case,” Blake said.The MAIT program was set up in 1978, when the severity and intricacy of traffic collisions dictated the need for more intensive investigations to determine subtle collision and injury causes.The objective of the MAIT program is to provide the CHP with the means to conduct in-depth investigations and analyses of major traffic collisions throughout the state. The team’s Investigations include the reconstruction of an incident and a study of the factors that may have contributed to the incident. Lockhart raced his Dodge Challenger with another driver on Interstate 5 on Feb. 27, 2016, in Commerce, causing a chain-reaction collision that killed the two Valencia residents and Scott Treadway, 52, a UPS truck driver from Mira Loma. Littlefield and Lewandowski were passengers in a Nissan with two other young people who were critically injured.All four occupants of the Nissan were employees of Six Flags Magic Mountain returning from a trip to Disneyland
jholt@signalscv.com 661-287-5527 On Twitter @jamesarthurholt
Credit to the Signal https://signalscv.com/2019/03/driver-pleads-guilty-in-crash-that-killed-3/THE DEADLY DEALIO http://commercecrash2-27-2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-deadly-dealio.html THE CRASH
"There's no doubt to me that this is a murder," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Detective Louie Aguilera.
Law enforcement all over the country will agree that illegal street racing is on the rise, and it can often have deadly consequences.
Michelle Littlefield was a beautiful, vibrant young woman with dreams of being a writer. Scott Treadway was a veteran UPS driver and proud father. College student Brian Lewandowski's kind smile was forever erased. crimewatchdaily
A $35,000 reward is being offered,
in exchange for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of Suspect #2 for the injuries of Victims Anthony Miramontes, Alfonso Murillo, Thomas Won, and Nicole Ruiz; and the murders of Victims Richard Scott Treadway, Michelle Littlefield and Brian Lewandowski. The reward money is comprised of offers from the following:
· $10,000 from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
· $5,000 from Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
· $10,000 from the United Parcel Service
· $10,000 from Teamsters Local 396
The collision site was littered with broken and burning vehicles, twisted metal and pieces of vehicles for hundreds of feet on both sides of the highway. Traffic was impacted for hours as first responders helped the victims, and detectives inventoried the site in detail.
If convicted, Lockhart faces up to life in state prison.
Dodge Challenger, which was traveling at 127 mph 2 1/2 seconds before the crash."This was an 11-mile race," the prosecutor said, noting that it stretched from Beverly Boulevard to Washington Boulevard
Driver_Suspected_in_Fatal_Street_Race_Charged_with_Murder
Man Faces Murder Charges in I-5 Fwy Crash
Three people were killed in multi-vehicle pileup.
By Terri Vermeulen Keith, City News Service
A Whittier man accused of taking part in a street race that caused a multi-vehicle pileup on the Santa Ana (5) Freeway in Commerce, killing three people, was charged Tuesday with three counts of second-degree murder.
Dealio Lockhart, 35, was also charged with four counts of reckless driving on a highway causing injury.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Sergio C. Tapia II ordered Lockhart to be held in lieu of $6.2 million bail while awaiting arraignment April 6.
“At the next court date in April, we’re going to be asking for a bail reduction. We’re going to be pleading not guilty to the charges,” one of Lockhart’s attorneys, Dmitry Gorin, told reporters after the brief hearing, adding that he believes “bail of a million dollars or less would be very reasonable in a case such as this.”
Lockhart is accused of driving a Dodge Challenger during a street race against someone behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger just after midnight Saturday morning. California Highway Patrol officials said the two Dodge muscle cars were being driven aggressively and were jockeying for position near the Citadel Outlets.
When Lockhart approached a vehicle moving at normal freeway speed ahead of him, he tried to swerve around it but wound up losing control of his car and hitting a UPS 18-wheeler, which went airborne, over the center median, and sheared off the top of an oncoming Nissan with four people inside, according to the CHP.
The truck came to rest on top of a red Ford Explorer on the northbound side of the freeway, north of Washington Boulevard, and immediately burst into flames.
Debris from the collision also struck a Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Silverado, which were on the northbound side.
The UPS driver, Scott Treadway, 52, of Mira Loma, was killed in the crash. Two people in the Nissan also died – Michelle Littlefield, 19, and Brian Lewandowski, 18, both of Valencia.
The UPS driver, Scott Treadway, 52, of Mira Loma, was killed in the crash. Two people in the Nissan also died – Michelle Littlefield, 19, and Brian Lewandowski, 18, both of Valencia.
Lewandowski was the son of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detective Victor Lewandowski.
The other two people in the Nissan were critically injured. The Nissan’s driver, Tony Miramontes, 21, of Van Nuys, was last reported to be in a coma at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, while Alfonso Morillo was hospitalized in critical condition.
Two other people — a man and a woman — were also injured in the pileup.
Lockhart was arrested at the scene. He faces up to life in prison if convicted, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The driver of the Charger remains at large. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Monday offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to that driver’s capture.
The driver of the Charger remains at large. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Monday offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to that driver’s capture.
Treadway was identified by his co-workers at Teamsters Local 396. He had been driving trucks for the UPS delivery service for 30 years.
Lewandowski and Littlefield were both students at College of the Canyons and worked at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. They were returning from a trip to Disneyland with Miramontes and Morillo when the crash occurred.
“Brian was an incredible young man and every parent’s dream for a son,” according to a statement issued by Lewandowski’s family.
“We are absolutely devastated by our loss. Our hearts go out to the other victims and their families and our prayers are for the survivors’ recovery. We are very thankful for the love and support of family and friends throughout this time.”
Littlefield’s mother, Gigi, told The Santa Clarita Valley Signal that her daughter was an only child and had just applied to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in hopes of studying business.
Two of Littlefield’s friends came to the downtown Los Angeles courthouse for the hearing.
Romina Rosero called what had happened a “devastating tragedy” and said she is “really suffering.”
Romina Rosero called what had happened a “devastating tragedy” and said she is “really suffering.”
“Her family is very devastated. They’re very pained,” she told reporters. “At the same time, they really emphasize that they do not hold any ill will or hatred towards Mr. Lockhart. Her family is handling it in a very admirable manner.”
Another one of her friends, Patricia Cardenas, said, “It was an act of an irresponsible man. Even though it won’t bring Michelle back to us, still we ask for justice.”
Meanwhile, Lockhart’s attorney said outside court, “In this case, it’s clear Mr. Lockhart did not intend to hurt anyone, did not want anyone to be injured whatsoever…we understand this is a tragedy. This is a horrible, horrible situation.”
Gorin said it’s his understanding that Lockhart worked full-time in the entertainment industry as a cameraman, and said he “does not have any record of violence or history of hurting anyone else.”
Gorin said it’s his understanding that Lockhart worked full-time in the entertainment industry as a cameraman, and said he “does not have any record of violence or history of hurting anyone else.”
The defense attorney said the charges are “inconsistent” with the way his client is known in the community and come as a shock to his family, friends and co-workers.
Gorin – himself a former prosecutor – said he expects the District Attorney’s Office to treat Lockhart fairly, despite one of the victims being the son of a well-known sheriff’s homicide lieutenant.
“… We’re going to do everything we can to fight these legal charges against him and determine whether the government can actually prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the defense attorney said.
Updated March 14, 2016 to correct reference to Golden State 5 Freeway; crashed occurred on the I-5 Santa Ana Freeway.
On Tuesday the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced that the charges against 35-year-old Dealio Lockhart would be upgraded from three counts of vehicular manslaughter to triple murder. Along with the three charges of second-degree murder, Lockhart is also charged with four counts of reckless driving on a highway causing injury. Prosecutors have also requested that Lockhart’s bail be raised from $1 million to $3.2 million, making it more likely that he will remain in custody until trial. And if convicted of all charges, Lockhart could possibly spend the rest of his life in state prison. Lockhart was the driver who lost control during the street race and struck the UPS truck, setting off the deadly chain reaction that involved seven vehicles and shut down the 5 freeway for nearly a day. He was arrested at the scene of the crash and admitted to CHP officers that he had been racing on the freeway when the accident occurred. He told police that he had been driving his Dodge Challenger when he noticed a similar-looking car, a dark-colored Dodge Charger and the race was on. The two Dodges raced along the southbound freeway at speeds reaching 90 mph, weaving in-and-out of traffic and then at the Washington Boulevard exit Lockhart lost control.
The driver of the Dodge Charger escaped the scene of the crash and with police having very little to work with except for the vague description of a “dark-colored Dodge Charger”, it's been a difficult job tracking the suspect down. On Tuesday, authorities stepped up the manhunt with the Los Angeles County supervisors approving a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the second driver. “Detectives assigned to the case have identified and arrested the driver of one of the vehicles engaged in the speed contest causing the collision, however, they have not received any viable clues regarding the identity of the second vehicle which fled the scene,” said Supervisor Hilda Solis who recommended the reward.
Anyone with information about the second driver is urged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500, the CHP at (323) 980-4600 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
Dealio Lockhart4 months ago
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