Brent88
11-30-2004, 12:47 PM
http://www.click2houston.com/news/3956123/detail.html
14-Year-Old Drives, Crashes Car; Father Charged
2 Teens In Critical Condition
POSTED: 4:34 pm CST November 29, 2004
UPDATED: 4:38 pm CST November 29, 2004
HOUSTON -- A southwest Houston father was charged Monday, accused of giving his 14-year-old daughter his car keys, leading to a crash that left two other teenagers critically injured, Local 2 reported in an exclusive story.
Witnesses said the family's sport utility vehicle veered out of control Thanksgiving night at 10:30 p.m. and slammed into a utility pole. Danielle Holste, 14, was at the wheel, according to police.
Investigators said her father, Barry Martin Holste, 53, arrived at the scene and admitted to giving Danielle the keys.
Holste was charged with injury to a child by criminal negligence for allegedly allowing an unlicensed driver behind the wheel.
Danielle suffered severe lacerations on her leg, face and neck from the crash.
"I'm doing fine -- a little better than what I was," she said. "I lost control of the car and hit the pole."
The crash happened after Danielle and two of her friends left the Coco Loco nightclub. She lost control of the vehicle while trying to exit off the Southwest Freeway.
The passengers, Erica Lopez, 15, and George Rodriguez, 16, were critically injured when they were thrown into the windshield.
"When I saw the car, I thought they were all dead," said Tracy Holste, Danielle's mother.
Tracy Holste is upset the police arrested her ex-husband over the accident.
Prosecutors said Barry Holste called his daughter a good driver. He said he allows her to drive, but only in their neighborhood.
"Allowing a child to go on our streets, driving at night to a nightclub, is just not something parents ought to be doing," said Warren Diepramm, a Harris County prosecutor. "You just can't let little kids go driving motor vehicles. It's just not right."
But Danielle and her mother said it really is a case of miscommunication between a father and his daughter.
"No, he did not just hand her the keys. That's a given -- no, he wouldn't do that. He's a very good father," Tracy Holste said.
Barry Holste is currently in the Harris County Jail. His bond has been set at $30,000.
A Harris County Grand Jury will decide if Holste should be indicted.
If convicted, he could receive probation or up to 10 years in prison.
:mad:
14-Year-Old Drives, Crashes Car; Father Charged
2 Teens In Critical Condition
POSTED: 4:34 pm CST November 29, 2004
UPDATED: 4:38 pm CST November 29, 2004
HOUSTON -- A southwest Houston father was charged Monday, accused of giving his 14-year-old daughter his car keys, leading to a crash that left two other teenagers critically injured, Local 2 reported in an exclusive story.
Witnesses said the family's sport utility vehicle veered out of control Thanksgiving night at 10:30 p.m. and slammed into a utility pole. Danielle Holste, 14, was at the wheel, according to police.
Investigators said her father, Barry Martin Holste, 53, arrived at the scene and admitted to giving Danielle the keys.
Holste was charged with injury to a child by criminal negligence for allegedly allowing an unlicensed driver behind the wheel.
Danielle suffered severe lacerations on her leg, face and neck from the crash.
"I'm doing fine -- a little better than what I was," she said. "I lost control of the car and hit the pole."
The crash happened after Danielle and two of her friends left the Coco Loco nightclub. She lost control of the vehicle while trying to exit off the Southwest Freeway.
The passengers, Erica Lopez, 15, and George Rodriguez, 16, were critically injured when they were thrown into the windshield.
"When I saw the car, I thought they were all dead," said Tracy Holste, Danielle's mother.
Tracy Holste is upset the police arrested her ex-husband over the accident.
Prosecutors said Barry Holste called his daughter a good driver. He said he allows her to drive, but only in their neighborhood.
"Allowing a child to go on our streets, driving at night to a nightclub, is just not something parents ought to be doing," said Warren Diepramm, a Harris County prosecutor. "You just can't let little kids go driving motor vehicles. It's just not right."
But Danielle and her mother said it really is a case of miscommunication between a father and his daughter.
"No, he did not just hand her the keys. That's a given -- no, he wouldn't do that. He's a very good father," Tracy Holste said.
Barry Holste is currently in the Harris County Jail. His bond has been set at $30,000.
A Harris County Grand Jury will decide if Holste should be indicted.
If convicted, he could receive probation or up to 10 years in prison.
:mad: