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Costa Mesa school car attack

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Coordinates: 33°38′10″N 117°54′43″W / 33.636°N 117.912°W / 33.636; -117.912
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Costa Mesa school car attack
LocationSouthcoast Early Childhood Learning Center, Costa Mesa, California
DateMay 3, 1999
Deaths2
Injured5
PerpetratorSteven Allen Abrams
Charges
  • Two counts of murder
  • Five counts of attempted murder
  • Two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter

A Santa Ana man drove into a Costa Mesa preschool playground on May 3, 1999, and killed two students and injured four other students and a teacher's aide.[1]

Incident

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The driver, Steven Allen Abrams, drove his 1967 Cadillac into the playground of the Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center on May 3, 1999.[2] He drove the vehicle through the chain link fence around the playground and aimed for those in the playground. Witnesses stated Abrams drove past the playground and then U-turned back towards the playground before he accelerated into the schoolyard at a speed of 35 to 40 miles per hour (56 to 64 km/h). He continued through the playground, before he crashed into a tree, and trapped two boys and one girl underneath his vehicle.[3]

Victims

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The two deceased victims were Brandon Wiener, 3 years old and Sierra Soto, 4 years old. Another four students and teachers aid Danielle Diaz were injured in the crash.[4]

Perpetrator

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Steven Allen Abrams was arrested and initially charged with assault with a deadly weapon.[5] He was convicted of two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder and two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter; which also include a couple that were rammed by Abrams prior to the playground being targeted.[6] In a taped confession that was played for jurors during the trial Abrams stated; "I was executing them....as many as I could get. [...] I was aiming for as many children as I could kill."[6] On December 15, 2000, Abrams was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Previously on November 1, 2000, jurors had steered clear of the prosecution's request of the death penalty, but decided to give him life without parole instead.[7] Since December 26, 2000, Abrams is currently at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville.

Aftermath

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The mother of Soto, Cindy Soto Beckett founded Sierra's Light Foundation to advocate for improved safety at preschools, and the mother of Wiener later founded the Brandon Cody Wiener Scholarship Fund in 2002, which sends young children victims of violent crimes to a week long summer camp in Bonsall.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Edds, Kimberly (2006-09-10). "Preschool reopens years after deadly crash". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  2. ^ "May 3, 1999: Steven Allen Abrams steers his 1967 Cadillac..." Daily Pilot. 2004-05-02. Archived from the original on 2013-12-25. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  3. ^ WILLON, PHIL; GARVEY, MEGAN; LEONARD, JACK (1999-05-04). "Car Rams Playground; 2 Preschoolers Killed". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  4. ^ a b Martindale, Scott (2006-09-11). "Remembering those lost at Lil' Lighthouse Preschool". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
  5. ^ Services, Tribune News (May 5, 1999). "2 KIDS KILLED AS CAR PLOWS INTO DAY-CARE PLAYGROUND". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  6. ^ a b Associated, Press (December 16, 2000). "Man gets life for daycare deaths. Category: Features from The Berkeley Daily Planet". www.berkeleydailyplanet.com. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  7. ^ "Brooks previously charged five months before the attack in Georgia for domestic violence at a Country Hearth Inn in Union City". Los Angeles Times. May 11, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2022.

33°38′10″N 117°54′43″W / 33.636°N 117.912°W / 33.636; -117.912

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