Man sentenced in death of 2 classmates, injury of woman, fetus in Salt Lake City crash

Abraham Miranda (inset) has accepted a plea deal in the Feb. 16, 2017 accident that killed two and injured a woman and her fetus. Photo: Gephardt Daily/Richard Trelles

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 22, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A former West High School student was sentenced Thursday for causing a high-speed crash that killed two of his classmates and resulted in brain damage to a pregnant woman and her unborn daughter.

In a plea deal, Abraham Miranda, 19, was sentenced to:

  • One year in jail, with credit for time served
  • Community service, 250 hours
  • Five years of probation
  • Payment of restitution

The crash happened at 11:31 a.m. on Feb. 16 of this year at 721 N. 300 West, about five blocks north of West High. The vehicle driven by Miranda struck a westbound vehicle driven by Amy Elizabeth Stevenson-Wilson.

Killed in the crash were Miranda’s passengers, Vidal Pacheco-Tinoco, 17, and Dylan Emilio Hernandez, 18.

Stevenson-Wilson, 32, was struck and critically injured by Miranda’s car. Her injuries included brain injury, 16 broken bones, lacerations to her kidney and spleen, and a collapsed lung. (To see her GoFundMe, click here.)

Amy Stevenson Wilson and daughter Grace Photo GoFundMe

Stevenson-Wilson’s 34-week fetus was delivered after the accident by emergency cesarean section. Doctors have said the baby girl, named Grace, also has brain damage, and will have trouble using the left side of her body.

The full extent of Grace’s impairment will not be known for several years.

Miranda pleaded guilty in October to two counts of manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and to reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor, which was later dismissed with prejudice.

Miranda told officers he was speeding because he was in a hurry to get to an arcade.

According to a probable cause statement, investigators estimate the then-18-year-old was traveling at 98.5 mph in a 40 mph zone, and witnesses reported the teen appeared to have been in a street race with another vehicle.

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