No matter how they roll the dice in the DA's office, the girl and her father are still liable, IMHO, for the girl's death. If the father had not allowed an underage, unlicensed driver to operate his vehicle to "practice" her driving skills while too young to legally drive, Sarah McGinley would still be alive today. It's tragic all the way around, but it's a tragedy that did not have to happen.

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Underage Driver, Father Charged In Death Of Young Mom
Felony Charges Include Homicide By Vehicle

PHILADELPHIA -- A Philadelphia man and his 15-year-old daughter have been arrested on felony charges stemming from the April 17 fatal accident in which the unlicensed teen, supervised by her father, lost control of the car she was driving and killed an 18-year-old woman who was sitting on her lawn with her child, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.


Richard Miller, 47, of 3219 Longshore Ave., was arrested on charges of homicide by vehicle, a felony, and involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor, authorities said Wednesday. Miller’s daughter was arrested on charges of accident involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, a felony.

Sarah McGinley, 18, was killed April 17 when she was struck by a car driven by Miller’s juvenile daughter while Miller was in the passenger seat. McGinley had been sitting on her lawn with her baby when the car hit her. McGinley’s daughter was unharmed.

Witnesses said McGinley got her daughter out of the way before the car ran McGinley over, killing her.

Police said the teen was practicing behind the wheel in the parking lot of Lincoln High School in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon. With her father in the passenger seat, the teen lost control of the car and shot through a fence, across a busy intersection and landed on McGinley, who was playing with her daughter on the front lawn.

"A fellow is running around looking for his wife, calling her name, couldn't find her. Myself and another fellow said, 'Look under the car,'" said Nelson Marin, a neighbor. "It took forever, we screamed, everyone pitched in."

Ten neighbors found McGinley under the car, and managed to get the car off her.

McGinley died at the hospital several hours later.

"It's ridiculous. She didn't have a permit or nothing and because of that, her daughter doesn't have a mom," Tina Pugeliese, a friend of the family, said after the accident.

The car involved in the accident has also been taken to an impound lot to see if it has mechanical difficulties.


http://www.nbc10.com/news/4530429/detail.html

Good move on the part of the DA's office!

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I agree some level of punishment is appropriate, especially for the father, whose poor judgment led to the tragic outcome.

Who know? If it's a success, the police and DA may want to come down just as hard on people who intentionally threaten to harm others -- or who actually do.

The DA did the right thing in criminally charging them. :clapping:

The girl and her father are liable for the woman's death. They must be held accountable for their irresponsible actions.

No permit/no license means you are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle. Period. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

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Here's the link to today's DN story.

I agree that the DA had no choice but to charge them. However, i hope the jury is lenient on the young driver. Putting her in prison will not bring Sarah McGinley back.

That's my point. Punishing Dad sends a message; overpunishing the young daughter just compounds the tragedy.

Teen Gets Interim Probation In Fatal Accident
Father Also To Go Before Judge


PHILADELPHIA -- A Philadelphia teenager charged with causing an accident that killed the mother of a 1-year-old has been given interim probation.

Megan Miller, 15, went before a juvenile court judge Wednesday morning and admitted that she was driving the car that killed 18-year-old Sarah McGinley in April.

Miller's admission is equivalent to a guilty plea in adult court.

Miller's father was sitting in the passenger seat of the car, giving her a driving lesson in a parking lot, when the car suddenly lurched across the street and pinned McGinley on her fiance's front lawn. Seconds before the car hit and killed her, McGinley tossed her 1-year-old daughter to safety.

A driver must be 16 years old to get a learner's permit in Pennsylvania.

Miller received interim probation and must perform 200 hours of community service. Assistant District Attorney Anthony Voci says the final sentence for the teenager will be determined on Aug. 30. Miller could face placement for up to six years in the juvenile justice system.

The father will also go before a judge.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/4665557/detail.html

Wow.

The whole thing is just tragic. In no way do I mean to minimize the heart wrenching tradgedy of that young lady being killed. I can't even imagine. But that dad is one of the nicest, straight-up, kind, and considerate people in the world. A very, very nice guy.

Still nothing can compare to that baby having to be raised without her mom.