KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — The 16-year-old Wills Point teen who allegedly fell asleep while driving his family to Walt Disney World in Florida and crashing, resulting in the deaths of five family members, was cited on misdemeanor charges, according to the Louisiana State Police. Fourth Judicial District Attorney Jerry Jones has since dismissed the ticket cited against the driver in the accident, according to KNOE 8 News.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — The 16-year-old Wills Point teen who allegedly fell asleep while driving his family to Walt Disney World in Florida and crashing, resulting in the deaths of five family members, was cited on misdemeanor charges, according to the Louisiana State Police. Fourth Judicial District Attorney Jerry Jones has since dismissed the ticket cited against the driver in the accident, according to KNOE 8 News.
The accident occurred at approximately 10:46 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19, 2014, on Interstate 20 near mile marker 103, approximately 12 miles from Monroe, Louisiana.
16-year-old Andrew Hardman was driving his family of eight, allegedly fell asleep, drove into the center median, woke up, over-corrected, and caused the vehicle overturn several times — ejecting five of the eight passengers. Each of the five people ejected were not wearing seat belts and were pronounced deceased at the scene by the Ouachita Parish Coroner’s Office.
Police identified the deceased as Michael and Trudi Hardman of Wills Point, Texas, and three of their children, Kaci, 4, Adam, 7, and Dakota, 15.
Andrew Hardman has been cited by the Louisiana State Police with careless operation of a vehicle, a misdemeanor. That citation was later dismissed. “This young man has been punished enough,” Jones told The Advertiser. “There is no need to add to his pain. The ticket will be dismissed.”
Two surviving family members have reportedly been released from the hospital to relatives and another remains hospitalized.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to all of the people affected by this tragic crash,” said Colonel Mike Edmonson, Louisiana State Police Superintendent. “Crashes like this one don’t just affect the people involved. They affect family members, friends, Troopers, first responders and the community at large. In an instance this family vacation turned into an unspeakable tragedy. I cannot stress enough the importance of wearing a seatbelt anytime you are in a vehicle.”
Michael was a 2nd grade teacher at John F. Kennedy Elementary school in the Terrell Independent School District (ISD) in Terrell, Texas. Trudi was a kindergarten teacher in Wills Point ISD.
A previous version of this article stated the charges carried criminal penalties, the Louisiana State Police have stated the misdemeanor citation carries no criminal penalties.