Jury deliberating in trial of teen driver charged in deadly Fairfax County crash
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — Jurors are deliberating after hearing closing arguments in the trial for a then-18-year-old driver charged in a deadly Fairfax County crash that killed two teenage girls back in June 2022.
Jurors went home without a verdict Tuesday after deliberating for about an hour and a half before ending the day at 5 p.m. Prosecutors and the defense team for Usman Shahid delivered their closing arguments before the judge sent them to deliberate.
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DC News Now’s Randi Bass was in the courtroom to hear those final words from both sides.
Shahid sat in the courtroom for those closing arguments listening and watching both sides intently with many friends and family members there to support him.
Shahid is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Oakton High School students Ada Martinez Nolasco and Leeyan Yan. Some of their family members were in the courtroom also.
In her closing arguments, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jenna Sands focused on the circumstances leading up to the crash and the evidence found from data recorders in Shahid’s car.
She said he had been driving recklessly along Blake Lane in Oakton, at speeds exceeding 80 mph, before his car slammed into another car turning left at a yellow light. The cars spun out of control, striking three teenage girls and killing two of them.
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Prosecutors say Shahid did not have a license, just a learner’s permit, and had gotten his new BMW just a few days before. He had also graduated high school just several days prior to the crash.
His defense team, led Tuesday by attorney Peter Greenspun, argued that the other driver is to blame. He said that driver was granted full immunity in exchange for their testimony in this case.
Greenspun also pointed to the two passengers in Shahid’s car who spoke to his state of mind and intentions at the time of the crash. They told jurors that Shahid had not been exhibiting crazy driving behavior at the time of the crash.
His attorneys also tried to discredit the police and prosecutorial investigation, saying they were too focused on Shahid and not the other driver.
Judge Randy Bellows ruled late Tuesday afternoon the third teenage girl who was hit and injured in the crash may give a victim impact statement before sentencing if Shahid is convicted.
It’s not clear when jurors are expected to return with a verdict in the case, but it could be as soon as Wednesday morning.
Judge Bellows told jurors to report back to the courthouse at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
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