The San Jose driver whose car crashed into the Cadillac sedan that was carrying Andrel Gaines and four other friends Nov. 6 is being charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence with great bodily injury, according to California Highway Patrol spokesman Tony Tam of the San Mateo County division.
Andrel Gaines, 19, died Nov. 18 from severe head trauma that was suffered as a result of the car wreck.
Dennis Leffew, 43 and a San Jose resident, was arrested at the scene for suspicion of driving under the influence the night of the crash around 1:30 a.m. on southbound U.S. 101 in Millbrae.
Gaines and four others, including teammates Davontea Johnson and Billy Heard, who was driving, were heading south back to Gilroy after a night out at a San Francisco club when Heard reportedly swerved to avoid a tire in the roadway, causing the black Cadillac sedan to collide with the center median.
As the vehicle rested in the fast lane, a red Nissan 300ZX driven by 43-year-old San Jose resident Dennis Leffew crashed into the Cadillac, the CHP said.
Both Heard and Leffew were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, though a toxicology report obtained by the Dispatch showed Heard was not drunk.
Leffew will be arraigned March 26 at 9 a.m. in San Mateo.
