Unlicensed 15-yr-old kills three in crash; father who gave her the keys charged with manslaughter

A 53-year-old man from Scarsdale, New York, was charged last week  for a crash that killed three fifteen-year-old boys on August 30, 2014. Michael Ware’s unlicensed fifteen-year-old daughter was driving at the time of the accident.   Ware reportedly had given his daughter the keys to his car even though she did not have so much as a learner’s permit. This was not the first time he had done so, according to local investigators. The morning of the accident,  Ware and his daughter were visiting their Poconos vacation home in Paupack Township for Labor Day weekend. Ware’s daughter got behind the wheel of her father’s SUV and picked up some friends on her way to a nearby restaurant. There were a total of six teenagers in the vehicle at the time of the accident. The girl lost control of the SUV and it flipped over, killing three of the 15-year-old boys inside. According to one of the surviving passengers, Ware was “flying” down the road despite the other teenagers telling her to “slow down.”

Ware initially denied that his daughter had his permission to borrow the vehicle. Immediately following the crash, Ware’s daughter told police that her father did not know she had the car, but later changed her story, saying she denied having permission to protect her father.  One witness and passenger in the SUV says that Ware waved goodbye as they drove away. A further investigation found that Ware had previously allowed his daughter to drive while he was in the vehicle, even though she did not have a license or a permit.

Ware has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, false reports, and other charges. His daughter faces charges in juvenile court.

This tragic case represents a lesson for all parents and drivers. Car crashes are more common among teenagers  – and that’s among licensed teenagers. Allowing an unlicensed teenager to drive greatly increases the risk of an accident. But, handing over the keys to any unlicensed driver is reckless. A study published by AAA in 2011, “Unlicensed to Kill,” indicated that approximately 15% of drivers involved in fatal crashes did not possess a valid driver’s license.  A few weeks after the Labor Day weekend accident, another crash in the Poconos killed five people, four of them children.  The driver, in this case, didn’t have a license, either.  Just last week, four teenagers were killed in a violent crash in Carbon County.

The attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have over 50 years of experience representing victims of tragedies like these. If you or a loved one have been in a car accident, contact the expert personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys to discuss your legal options. We can be reached by calling 855-866-5529.