Decisions regarding criminal charges may be months away in Louise Ave double fatal crash – The Standard Newspaper

KINGMAN – It is not yet clear if or when a Kingman teenager will face criminal prosecution, but there are behind the scenes developments regarding the high-speed traffic accident that claimed the lives of two passengers in the vehicle he was driving on April 13.

Deputy Kingman Police Chief Joel Freed said laboratory toxicology testing exploring whether the driver of the vehicle was impaired at the time of the crash was returned to the KPD on June 21. Authorities have not yet revealed what the test results indicate.

Freed said the KPD has completed the majority of its crash investigation, but that follow-up continues. Given its incomplete status, the investigation report remains confidential, but Freed said it has been submitted to the Mohave County Attorney’s Office for review.

Deputy County Attorney James Schoppmann confirmed the KPD case package was presented to his office on Tuesday, June 27. Schoppmann said he expects charging decisions might be a “few months’’ away because his office was just handed the matter and needs to contact multiple victims and their families.

Defense attorney Brad Rideout has been retained to represent the driver should he be indicted.

Kingman police reported that Tatum Meins, 17, and Sherene Walema, 15, suffered fatal injuries when the four-door Dodge sedan “began sliding sideways when it struck two electric poles causing the vehicle to roll numerous times before coming to a stop on its roof” in the 3500 block of Louise Ave.

Police have not disclosed the name of the driver. In fact, KPD never identified any of the survivors given their juvenile status.

That they are Brady Shuffler, 16, Reilly Feil, 16, and Cannon Cobanovich, 16, became public when disclosed by the Kingman Unified School District and others throughout the community.

While most of the community is convinced it is aware of the identity of the driver, authorities won’t likely offer clarity or confirmation unless, and until charging decisions are made.

Dave Hawkins