| For Immediate Release Case # 08ZF0039 October 2, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
TEEN DRIVER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE
IN PRISON FOR MURDERING 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL
WHILE SPEEDING OVER 100 MPH AND
UNDER INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL
*First minor tried as an adult in Orange County for DUI murder
SANTA ANA – A teen driver was sentenced today to 15 years to life in state prison for murdering a 16-year-old girl while speeding over 100 mph without a license while under the influence of alcohol. Milad Moulayi, 18, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury on Aug. 6, 2009, of one felony count of second degree murder and one misdemeanor count of driving without a license. The 17-year-old defendant, who was indicted on Oct. 22, 2008, is the first juvenile in Orange County to be charged as an adult with murder in a drunken driving crash.
Homicide Case Against Moulayi
On Aug. 27, 2008, Moulayi’s learner’s permit had been suspended in juvenile court and he was ordered not to drive for one year. His mother was present in court with the defendant and was aware of the order by the judge for her son not to drive.
On Aug. 28, 2008, Moulayi had a party at his Santa Ana home and consumed several alcoholic drinks. At approximately 2:40 a.m., he left his house to drive his friend, 16-year-old Mackenzie Frazee, back to her house. He ignored pleas from several of his friends not to drive because he was too intoxicated. The defendant was traveling at speeds between 102 mph and 112 mph in his Mercedes Benz sedan on Newport Avenue in Tustin. The defendant lost control of his car, drove over the center median, crashed into a light pole, causing the car to split in half. The front half of the car caught on fire, and the Orange County Fire Authority had to cut Frazee free from her seatbelt.
The victim was transported to Western Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead due to blunt force trauma. Moulayi, who had a blood alcohol level of .11 percent, was also transported to the hospital and treated for cuts and bruises.
During the sentencing today, the victim’s mother and father gave emotional victim impact statements. Frazee’s mother, Melissa Beck, recalled stories of Mackenzie, a “beautiful, intelligent, witty, caring, artistic, talented, and compassionate” daughter, and the life-long devastation it caused when Moulayi killed her. Beck stated, “I still see her close group of friends. They come over to visit and go up in her room to hang out. We laugh at stories about her. Then when they leave I have an overwhelming feeling of sadness come over me, seeing them grow up a little more each time I see them, and wondering how much Kenzie would have grown up by now.”
The victim’s father, Lance Frazee, addressed the court and explained, “As a parent, the worst pain you can feel is when your child hurts. I can say with all certainty that the day my daughter’s life ended, my life ended with it.” He also told the court, “When [Mackenzie] was about 12 years old, she fell asleep on the way home after a movie.