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).
A 68-year-old man in Florida has been convicted of multiple felonies for allowing his 15-year-old son to drive his car without a driver's license, leading to a deadly crash that left a 50-year-old grandmother and her three grandchildren dead in 2023.
An Osceola County jury on Wednesday found Richard Seymour Ferguson guilty on four counts of manslaughter for his role in the deaths of Trinidad Hernandez and her grandkids, ages 1, 9, and 11, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Richard Ferguson's son, Ri'shard Ferguson, previously reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to multiple charges of manslaughter after he ran a stop sign going more than 75 mph on Sept. 3, 2023, and slammed into Hernandez's vehicle. Under the terms of the agreement, Ri'shard Ferguson is required to remain in a juvenile detention facility until he turns 19 and then spend an additional two years on supervised release.
According to court documents, the collision took place at about 7 p.m. at the intersection of San Miguel Street and Laurel Avenue in Poinciana, Florida, which is about 30 miles south of Orlando. Ri'shard Ferguson was driving a white 2012 Chevy Impala with several other passengers inside.
Hernandez, who was driving a 2022 Honda HR-V crossover, was pronounced dead at the scene along with her 11-year-old granddaughter. Her 9-year-old grandson and 1-year-old granddaughter were transported to Poinciana Medical Center, where they too were pronounced dead.
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A witness was standing on the corner of the intersection where the crash occurred. He told investigators he rode his bike past a nearby park and heard the people in the Impala say something to the effect of "Let's go," followed by "the hard acceleration of an engine" as the vehicle passed him going 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.
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