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Teen driving Lamborghini in crash that killed woman pleads guilty; placed on house arrest

By Mary Stringini
Published  April 23, 2021 2:53pm EDT
California
FOX 13 Tampa Bay

Teen driving Lamborghini in crash that killed woman pleads guilty; placed on house arrest

LOS ANGELES - The 17-year-old driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini that was involved in a crash that killed a woman in West Los Angeles admitted to a charge of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence on Friday.

The teen, whose name has been withheld since he is under the age of 18, appeared in juvenile court in Inglewood Friday morning. He was placed on house arrest after admitting the petition for vehicular manslaughter. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Sabina Helton ordered him confined to his mother’s home, where he will have to wear an ankle monitor, until at least his next court hearing, which is scheduled for June 30.

Protesters gathered outside the courthouse demanding justice for the victim, Monique Muñoz.

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Monique Muñoz

Muñoz was on her way home from work on Feb. 17 when she was hit and killed by the teen driver, who was speeding at 106 miles per hour at the moment of impact, according to prosecutors. He had been street "racing" against a female friend and swerving in and out of traffic for several blocks before the crash, according to prosecutors. The deadly crash happened at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Overland Avenue.

Prosecutors confirmed the teen's provisional driver’s license had been suspended at the time of the crash. They also learned that he'd been cited for speeding twice by the Beverly Hills Police Department in 2020, including driving 72 miles per hour on surface streets.

Family protests treatment of minor who killed daughter in crash

The teen wasn't charged in the crash until April 7. Relatives of the victim and activists had alleged that charges had not been filed earlier because of the wealth and influence of the teen driver's father, James Khuri, described by Forbes as a multimillionaire who owns several real estate firms, manufacturing companies and an e-commerce business.

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Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Brian Wendling told the Los Angeles Times the Lamborghini driver's arrest was only delayed by the fact that he had to be hospitalized for injuries sustained in the crash.

The maximum sentence for vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence is six years, but his sentencing could have a wide array of outcomes, ranging from probation to nine months in a juvenile camp setting.

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