Blog Post

Man Involved in Fatal 1999 Accident Causes Yet Another Crash


April 10, 2008
Topic: Auto Accidents

Some people, it seems, just never learn. You would think a man who has caused the death of a teenager in the past by driving while drunk, would have knocked himself sober. In fact, considering that his license had been revoked after that accident, you would think he wouldn't even be behind a wheel, let alone breaking traffic rules.

Let's hope, at least this time around, Teddy Carpenter gets what he deserves.

Back in 1999, Teddy Carpenter pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, involuntary manslaughter and criminal damaging in the accident that caused the death of 18-year-old Jennifer Sellers. After the accident, Carpenter fled the scene. When he was later found, he pleaded guilty in exchange for having charges of vandalism, aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, leaving the scene of the accident and reckless operation dismissed.

He served a total of 4 years in prison. Four years for killing a young girl. His driving privileges were permanently revoked.

For the Sellers family, memories of that tragic day in 1999 came back when they heard of the man responsible for their daughter's death being involved in yet another accident. This time Carpenter, fortunately, failed to actually kill anyone. He ignored a "right turn" only sign on route 33, and managed to cross the median and strike a car that was traveling west on route 33. The occupants of the other car, a Nissan, were injured, but luckily both will recover.

After the accident, Carpenter did what he does best - he ran from the scene. Old habits apparently die hard. He hotfooted it to his girlfriend's house.

When police arrived, they took him to hospital for treatment of the injuries he sustained in the accident. Once at the hospital, and when he had recovered somewhat, he actually fled again.

It's not clear why he wasn't arrested before he was taken to the hospital. At last, police found him back at his girlfriend's house. When police turned up at the house, it turns out they had plenty of old and unfinished business pending with him. He had a string of child support payment failures, and had failed to turn up for a drug hearing.

This was a man who had no business being out in 4 years for killing another motorist. This is exactly what happens when a man gets away with a slap on the wrist after a grievously injurious accident involving drunken driving. If the degree of punishment after the 1999 accident had been severe or crippling, there is a good chance that someone like Teddy Carpenter would have had sense knocked into him, and also he wouldn't be out on the streets, where he is putting other lives in danger.

Now that Carpenter is in custody, we hope stricter action is taken against him. Or we can expect more accidents, and maybe, more fatalities and injuries linked to his name.

If you have been injured in a car accident, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.