Inset: Richard S. Ferguson (Osceola County Corrections). Background: The Florida intersection where Ferguson’s son killed a grandmother and her three grandkids in a 2023 car crash (Google Maps).
In a tragic case that unfolded in Florida, a 68-year-old man has been found guilty of multiple felonies for permitting his 15-year-old son to drive without a license, resulting in a catastrophic accident. This incident led to the deaths of a 50-year-old grandmother and her three grandkids in 2023.
A jury in Osceola County delivered a guilty verdict on Wednesday against Richard Seymour Ferguson, convicting him on four counts of manslaughter. His actions contributed to the tragic demise of Trinidad Hernandez and her grandchildren, who were aged 1, 9, and 11, according to court documents accessed by Law&Crime.
The elder Ferguson’s son, Ri’shard Ferguson, had earlier accepted a plea deal with prosecutors. He admitted to multiple manslaughter charges after causing the fatal crash by running a stop sign at over 75 mph on September 3, 2023, and colliding with Hernandez’s vehicle. As part of the agreement, Ri’shard will stay in juvenile detention until he turns 19, followed by two years of supervised release.
Details from court records reveal that the accident occurred around 7 p.m. at the intersection of San Miguel Street and Laurel Avenue in Poinciana, Florida, roughly 30 miles from Orlando. The teenager was behind the wheel of a white 2012 Chevy Impala, with other passengers on board.
Trinidad Hernandez, driving a 2022 Honda HR-V crossover, was declared dead at the crash site, along with her 11-year-old granddaughter. Her other grandchildren, aged 9 and 1, were rushed to Poinciana Medical Center, where they sadly succumbed to their injuries.
A witness at the scene provided crucial insights to investigators. Positioned at the intersection at the time of the crash, he recounted hearing a conversation from the Impala occupants that seemed to signify haste, followed by the unmistakable sound of the car’s engine accelerating as it sped northbound on Laurel Avenue.
Hernandez’s Honda was going westbound on San Miguel and had just entered the intersection when the witness estimated the Impala struck it while “traveling more than 100 mph at impact.” Authorities later estimated that Ri’shard Ferguson was traveling “between speeds of 76 and 83 mph.”
“The witness did not hear screeching of tires indicating either vehicle applied their brakes,” police wrote in the affidavit.
Police said data from the car showed Ri’shard Ferguson had the gas pedal pressed “at 100 percent” just prior to the collision and was at 90% at the time of impact.
Investigators said Richard Ferguson assisted his son in taking the car out that evening. From the affidavit:
Richard Ferguson knowingly assisted his son, [Ri’shard Ferguson], by moving one vehicle out of the way so that [Ri’shard Ferguson] could enter [the vehicle] which was parked in the driveway of his residence, permitted the three minor passengers, who were under Richard Ferguson’s supervision, to enter the vehicle, and then allowed his minor son to drive away with the three minor passengers, knowing that [Ri’shard Ferguson] was not a licensed driver.
One of the passengers who was with Richard Ferguson’s son that evening testified in court that he remembered Richard Ferguson telling the teens to remember to put their seatbelts on before they left in the car, Orlando CBS affiliate WKMG reported. He also said the older man did not make any effort to prevent the teens from leaving in the vehicle after seeing them get into the car.
A sentencing hearing had not been scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon. A pre-sentencing investigation report was ordered to be turned in to the court within 45 days.
