Man acquitted in fatal street racing crash

FILE

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – A South Carolina judge has acquitted a man accused of involvement in a 2017 street racing crash that killed three people and injured four minors.

Charleston’s 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced on Monday that all charges were dropped against 49-year-old Lawrence Maurice Ravenel. He was accused of racing against his cousin, Elijah Simmons, when Simmons lost control of his Camaro and crashed into a bus carrying passengers.

Simmons then hit a Buick head-on, killing two passengers. He also died in the crash. Ravenel faced racing, reckless homicide and hit-and-run charges but a judge ruled that because he wasn’t physically involved in the crash, he wasn’t criminally responsible.