Case # 15HF0637
Date: June 23, 2015
MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR HIT-AND-RUN CRASH THAT KILLED WOMAN AND HER 2-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER
*Woman’s daughter and grandson were also injured in the crash
SANTA ANA – A man was charged today with murder for a hit-and-run crash that killed a woman and her granddaughter in Irvine. Alec Scott Abraham, 20, Costa Mesa, was charged today with two felony counts of murder. He was originally charged June 15, 2015, with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, one felony count of hit-and-run with permanent injury or death, one felony count of reckless driving with bodily injury, and one misdemeanor count of petty theft by taking and carrying away, and sentencing enhancements for fleeing the scene of a vehicular manslaughter and inflicting great bodily injury. After further investigation by the Irvine Police Department (IPD) and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), newly discovered scientific evidence and witness information allowed OCDA to pursue murder charges against the defendant. No further information about the investigation will be disclosed at this time. If convicted, Abraham faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life in state prison. Abraham is being held on $1 million bail. Today’s scheduled arraignment was continued in court to July 8, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
OCDA released a press release June 15, 2015, with the following information on the Abraham case:
At approximately 8:50 p.m. on June 10, 2015, Abraham is accused of driving a Ford Mustang and traveling westbound on Alton Parkway in Irvine. He is accused of speeding and failing to stop for a red light at the intersection of Alton Parkway and Barranca Parkway. Abraham is accused of slamming into the driver’s side of a Chevy Cruze being driven by Katherine Hampton, 54, who was traveling southbound on Barranca Parkway through a green light with her daughter and two grandchildren also in the car. The defendant is accused of causing the crash which forced the vehicles into a Honda Civic that was stopped at the red light going eastbound on Alton Parkway. The solo driver in the Honda Civic was treated for minor injuries at the hospital and released.
Shortly after the crash, the defendant is accused of approaching a bystander and requesting to use their cellphone. Abraham is accused of taking the bystander’s phone and fleeing from the scene on foot.
The Orange County Fire Authority arrived to the scene of the crash and transported the victims to local hospitals. Katherine Hampton died at the scene as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash.
Katherine Hampton’s daughter, 28-year-old Jane Doe, was seated in the passenger seat of the Chevy Cruze and was treated for a broken jaw. Jane Doe’s son, 7-year-old John Doe, who was seated in the rear passenger seat, was treated for a broken collarbone. Jane Doe’s daughter, 2-year-old Kaydence Hampton, who was seated behind the driver’s seat, was in cardiac arrest following the crash. Kaydence Hampton was revived at the hospital, but had significant brain swelling, and was pronounced dead on June 14, 2015.
IPD investigated this case. At approximately 12:20 p.m. on June 11, 2015, Abraham was arrested by IPD at a Costa Mesa park.
Deputy District Attorney Stephen Cornwell of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.