Fatal, fiery crash was not an accident

Jan. 25, 2006 - KGO (KGO) -- ABC7 has learned that a horrific crash last summer is now being investigated as a homicide and the California Highway Patrol is narrowing in on a suspect.

The crash killed three graduate students on I-80 in Berkeley last July in a fiery collision with a tanker truck.

The aftermath of the fiery collision hapened in the early morning hours of July 16th. A big rig going westbound on Interstate 80 near Ashby Avenue suddenly veered out of control. The tractor trailer crashed through the center divider and jack-knifed, catching on fire.

A Toyota Corolla carrying three UC Berkeley graduate students crashed into the truck, exploding into flames, killing Giulia Adesso, Jason Choy and Benjamin Boussert.

"We lost three very, very special people to other people's carelessness," said a friend.

It was not carelessness as the victims' friends believed, say CHP investigators.

"We're working a triple homicide here," said CHP Capt. Jim Leonard.

ABC7 has learned that the CHP has now identified a suspect -- a young man who they say was driving recklessly, speeding in and out of lanes, possibly racing with the driver of another car.

Leonard heads the fiveofficer team investigating the case.

"We believe the tractor trailer truck was cut off, caused it to go out of control and came through the center divider just to my right," said Leonard.

The focus of the CHP investigation is not the scene of the accident but rather the stretch of highway about 500 to 700 yards away between University and Gilman Street. Leonard believes this is where the suspect began driving recklessly.

Two cars, a 1995 Chevy Camaro and a black 2002 Ford Taurus, were also damaged in the crash.

Leonard won't say if the cars' drivers are suspects in the case, only that he wants to know more about them.

"Anybody who saw the specific actions of the Camaro or the Taurus that night is important to us," said Leonard. "People who were with these people earlier that night? We believe these people were together earlier that night."

Leonard and his team are now waiting for the final report from the CHP's multi-disciplinary accident investigation team known as MAIT, the experts who reconstruct serious crashes.

It's been six months since the accident and still no MAIT report.

"I've never heard of anything like this, having to wait so long for a report like this," said attorney Rich Schoenberger.

Schoenberger represents the families of the three young victims. Without the report, he says there is no closure.

"It helps provide answers to them. They still don't know how this accident happened. They still don't know the cause and it haunts them," said Schoenberger.

The MAIT team did not respond to our inquires, but Leonard believes the delay is due to the complexity of the investigation.

"It's a pretty tough case because we have about 700 yards of crime scene, so about seven football fields worth," said Leonard. "And then we have the fire that occurred and reconstruction based on the fire."

Meantime, the families have sued the state and the truck company.

CHP investigators say they hope to take the case to the district attorney within the month.

If you happened to be there that night or if you know anything about the drivers of the Taurus or Camaro, call the Highway Patrol in Oakland at (510) 450-3821.

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