MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Maykoll Santiesteban, 15, did not appear in court Thursday for a scheduled hearing after authorities said he caused a deadly crash while he was in his father’s car and out for a joyride in Hialeah last month.
Instead, his attorney, Omar Lopez, appeared on his behalf and entered a plea of not guilty.
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Santiesteban was booked into the Miami-Dade County jail, on Tuesday, and his attorneys agreed to let him remain behind bars as he awaits trial.
He will be charged as an adult for the April 24 crash that left two women, identified as Yarnia Garcia and Gloria Hernandez, dead.
On Tuesday, Santiesteban faced a judge, who held him without bond and ruled that he be transferred from juvenile to adult court to face charges in the two women’s deaths.
Santiesteban is facing a total of six charges, including vehicular homicide, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and driving without a license causing death or serious bodily injury.
Santiesteban was allegedly behind the wheel, driving in excess of 80 miles per hour through a Hialeah neighborhood, when he smashed into the victims’ vehicle near the corner of Southeast Fourth Street and Fifth Avenue.
The teen spoke to Local 10 News after the crash, admitting to taking the car and not having a license. He also said he did not know how fast he was driving when the crash occurred.
Lopez said Santiesteban and his family regret what happened.
“If he could press the rewind button and make this not occur, my client would give anything for that to happen,” said Lopez. “We want the family to know that my family, my client, are very sorry for what happened and they offer their deepest condolences.”
Santiesteban’s family is now preparing for the possibility of him spending many years behind bars.
“The family is obviously devastated. This is their only son,” said Lopez.
Santiesteban’s next court date is set for July 11.