Hemet Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder for DUI Collision that Killed Teen

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MURRIETA, Calif. – A Hemet man was convicted of second-degree murder for a DUI crash that killed his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter.

The traffic collision occurred on March 2016, the van which was being driven by William Patrick Causer Jr., 29, took place in March of 2016. Causer was learned to be under the influence of methamphetamine when he slammed the vehicle into a utility pole across from the Murrieta Police Station at around 60 miles per hour. Summer Love Carbone, 15, was killed in the crash and her 10-year-old sister sustained major injuries.

Summer and her younger sister were asleep in the back of the van and were not wearing seatbelts. Her 10-year-old sister suffered from a lacerated spleen and compound fracture to her right leg. The kid’s mother, the front passenger, sustained a broken wrist.

On Monday, February 4, 2019, a jury convicted Causer of second-degree murder. In addition to second-degree murder, he was also convicted of one count of child endangerment. Causing great bodily injury. Riverside County District Attorney’s officials said that Causer has two previous DUI convictions, one for driving under the influence of alcohol and the other for driving under influence of methamphetamine.

In this case, he was prosecuted under the “Watson” murder law allowing a charge of second-degree murder to be filed against someone who kills a person in a DUI crash and has previously been convicted of a DUI.

Causer faces a sentence of 17 years to life. His sentencing is scheduled before Judge Kelly Hansen on March 15, 2019, at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.