CHP says case of crash that killed 13-year-old hits district attorney's desk

Charges of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter against the 19-year-old driver in a crash that killed a 13-year-old boy have been forwarded to the District Attorney's Office, the California Highway Patrol announced Thursday.According to a press release, Hoopa resident Cashkoa Jade Rice was driving her Jeep Cherokee westbound on State Route 299 on May 18 with five passengers -- including Walter Moon, 13, also of Hoopa. Moon was riding in the cargo area where no seat or seat belt was available, and around 4 p.m. near Berry Summit, Rice looked away from the road to use her cell phone.Rice lost control of the car and crashed into a guardrail along the south side of the roadway. Moon was ejected, suffered major injuries and was flown by emergency personnel to the Oakland Children's Hospital, where he died from his injuries the next day.”We want to point out that this tragedy was one hundred percent preventable,” California Highway Patrol Captain Adam Jager said in the release. “This is a reminder that driving distracted and not using seat belts can result in injury, and even death. In this case, it resulted in the tragic loss of a child.”Rice was uninjured. The other passengers -- Chandra Norton, 19, of Eureka and three unidentified teenagers ages 16, 15 and 14 received minor to moderate injuries.The charges -- submitted to the District Attorney's Office on Nov. 15 -- include misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, operating a vehicle with an unbelted juvenile occupant and operating a hand-held cell phone while driving a motor vehicle.We are saddened by this tragic loss, and we are going to do what we can to ensure this type of tragedy doesn't happen again,” Jager said.