Posted on 04/30/2018 6:13:14 AM PDT by Gamecock
LAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Only Channel 2 Action News was in court Wednesday when a teenager learned she faces a felony vehicular homicide in the death of her best friend.
Cristina Pavon-Baker, 17, crashed on Interstate 75 in Morrow during Senior Skip Day. The wreck killed Mikayla Penn, 18.
Pavon-Baker's attorney asked the judge Wednesday not to take her passport since she had a cruise scheduled next month.
That upset the victim's family and the district attorney.
“She doesn't need to be on a cruise enjoying herself,” Clayton County District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson told the court.
Channel 2’s Tom Jones said Lawson was clearly irritated when Pavon-Baker’s attorney asked the judge to not take the teen’s passport as a condition of bond.
“We would ask the court to allow her to leave the state and not put that restriction on her,” Pavon-Baker’s attorney Jackie Patterson said.
Responded Lawson: “I have an 18-year-old that can't go on a cruise. I have an 18-year-old who can't be with her parents who are in the back of this courtroom."
Jones said the cruise request upset Mikayla Penn's parents.
It was March 26 when Baker and Penn were headed to Southlake Mall on Senior Skip Day. Prosecutors said Baker drove 106 mph in a 65 mph zone on the Jonesboro Road exit along I-75.
Baker’s Mini Cooper flipped and crashed, killing Penn.
“We have some information that Snapchat may have been used” during the drive, Lawson said.
Baker is facing first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving and speeding charges.
Patterson said he meant no harm asking for Baker to go on the cruise.
“We were not trying to be insensitive. We were just trying to say, ‘Judge, she has already had these tickets for this cruise,’” Patterson told Jones.
Lawson said Baker has received enough special treatment.
“If you look at her history, these parents have covered for her over and over and over again. I believe in my heart of hearts Ms. Penn would be alive if this child had some consequences,” Lawson said.
Lawson was referring to some other traffic troubles Baker has had.
The judge gave Baker a $31,000 bond and ordered her to surrender her passport. The judge also ordered her not to drive and to stay off Snapchat.
Huh! A spot on a cruise just opened up.
Huh! A spot on a cruise just opened up.
I actually feel rather badly for her.
This was, after all, her friend. She’ll carry that with her always.
And I think that should carry a little weight with the parents. It was definitely her fault, and she caused it, but it was still an ACCIDENT. She did not intend this to happen. And who knows what her friend thought? Maybe she was all into going fast and furious too. Maybe she totally condoned her friend’s reckless driving, because it’s cool and fun!
She’s facing felony vehicular homicide and prison time. I would think Mom and Dad have bigger issues than a missed cruise. Or so you would think.
"Baker drove 106 mph in a 65 mph zone on the Jonesboro Road exit along I-75."
Perhaps we need a few more restrictions before issuing drivers licenses.
1)Must pass a course in Physics
2)Must pass a course in Vehicle Dynamics
3)Must complete three weekends 'community service' acting as 'gofer' and cleanup flunkie at the local Emergency Room in order to see the consequences of not paying attention to Points 1 & 2
I’ve driven crazy as a kid way over 107
The family asking to go on the cruise was terrible
Just very poor manners
Trash
About as stupid as challenging a semi in a smart car.
Must learn to set the cruise control before texting...
Or buy one of those new cars that “drives itself”...
maybe...
Oh boy how I can identify. I don’t say it every time, but when she complains about others in cars around us obviously engaged in distracting conversation such as when the driver is constantly turning his or her head to look at the passenger I can then remind her that driving is like flying an airplane just not three dimensional. It requires total concentration. She doesn’t understand how I am able to tune out the radio but not her.
This is a cultural thing of today btw
When I was young girls didn’t drive crazy like boys
I drive a lot now...100,000 miles a years
I notice today younger say under 40 women will drive right on your ass at 70-80 about a car length off like they are in major hurry
Riding your bumper
That woulda been very rare in 1973
I guess it’s a little hear me roar or I’m same as a man
What it indicates is as I suspect women lack space and time consequence awareness men have
They don’t realize the risk
The fact they’ll never stop in time
A man knows it’s risky but does it anyhow
A woman may not..
“But officer he slammed on his brakes in front of me”
ac·ci·dent
ˈaksədənt
noun
1. an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.
"he had an accident at the factory"
synonyms: mishap, misadventure, unfortunate incident, mischance, misfortune, disaster, tragedy, catastrophe, calamity; technicalcasualty "an accident at work"
2. an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.
This wasn't an accident. This was caused by negligence.
She won’t be able to stay off of Snap Chat.
The DA gave her a defense. She was not disciplined as a child. A kid in Dallas got probation using that defense.
I think the salient point was raised by the judge wherein he said her parents have been, in essence, covering up her little peccadilloes for some time. As a parent you have to know what the balance is. You should be guided by the notion fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Obviously this is a family of some means as they had their attorney present for the arraignment, she had a decent vehicle and was off to a cruise to celebrate a high school graduation. Do I think she should get the electric chair for this...no because there is no intent to have harmed anyone. Do I think she should get a pass, no because nothing in accomplished by just admonishing her and sending her on her way. Tough call for the judge here. A lot of what happens may be governed by whether she is over 18. This is a loss all around no matter the outcome....then comes the civil settlement.
I’ve seen people doing stupid things while driving - reading newspapers, but the best one was a woman shaving her legs while driving on rt 29 between DC and Columbia - one leg up on the dash shaving it - Nice legs BTW
Senior Skip Day. I came up with when I was a senior. Seniors got of school two weeks early. For skipping we had to attend school one day for every period we skipped. Now they just give them a day.
Me too, but I never killed anyone because of the stupid things I did. There but for the grace of God go I.
Same here. One night I went for a drive with my best friend in his Mom's Ford Falcon. My friend decided to show off his "driving skills" on a curvy road and plowed us into a hillside. Got away with minor cuts and bruises, but the other side of the road was a 100' cliff.
Another "afluenza" defense in the making?
At least it wasn’t an AR that did it. But, why isn’t the vehicle being blamed?
A Mini Cooper has a very short wheelbase. A friend of mine has one and he says it’s very touchy at speeds above 60-70.
Still can't get over the Chutzpah that she showed in mentioning the cruise. Poor choices, exacerbated by more poor choices. She's going to have a long, long time to think about them.
Too bad, she seems a pretty girl. It will be a long time for her to recover from this, if she ever does.
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