A California Highway Patrol Vehicle. MyNewsLA.com photo by John Schreiber.
Criminal charges were filed Thursday against a Kern County man who was allegedly drunk when he crashed his car in Palmdale last weekend, killing a 2-year-old boy who had been riding in the death car.
Devon Devere Dorsey, 26, is charged with one felony count each of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury and gross vehicular manslaughter and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death, along with a misdemeanor count of driving when privilege was suspended or revoked, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Dorsey was driving a 2006 Ford Fusion west on Avenue P last Sunday when, “for reasons yet to be determined,” he steered to the right and the car hit a raised dirt embankment and overturned on East Avenue P east of 240th Street East, ejecting the toddler, who was a passenger in the sedan, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Michael Bonner of Rosamond died at a hospital, according to the CHP, which reported that a woman and a girl riding in the car were injured.
Rosamond residents Shonterra Dillard, 23, and Mytia Bonner, 3, suffered moderate and minor injuries, respectively, the CHP reported.
The woman and the children are related, but they are not related to the driver, the CHP said.
Dorsey, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, has remained jailed since his arrest early Monday.
“Alcohol is suspected to be a factor in this collision,” according to a CHP statement released shortly after the crash.
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