Father and Daughter on Bikes Killed by Teenage SUV Driver
Solaiman Nuri and his daughter, 9-year-old Hadessa, were killed during a bike ride on Saturday morning. The two were killed after a teen driver lost control of his SUV and smashed into the pair.
David Rosen, 17, was driving a 2002 Escalade in Northern California when he lost control; witnesses told police that Rosen had been driving erratically. He sped through an intersection and hit the family as they were riding on the sidewalk. Rosen was driving so fast that he knocked over a fire hydrant.
Solaiman Nuri was pronounced dead on the scene, and his two daughters were taken to the hospital. 9-year-old Hadessa succumbed to her injuries, but 12-year-old Hannah only had minor injuries. All three had been wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
"It was horrible," witness Mark Lucas told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I heard a boom and ran outside. I saw the SUV roll over maybe four or five times and heard kids screaming. Here you have a father spending time with his girls, enjoying a Saturday-morning bike ride. It's tragic."
Rosen has been charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter, the Chronicle reports. Police have not decided whether to charge him as an adult or minor, given his age and the severity of the crime. The investigation continues, and authorities suspect Rosen may have been texting at the time of the accident.
"He was very shocked and scared," Adam Gartside, a friend of Rosen, told the Chronicle. "He liked to drive fast, but I never thought he'd crash. He loved that car."
Over 200 people turned out for a candlelight vigil last night. Friends and family have expressed their shock at the tragedy. "Every Saturday, they go biking," said Naheda Zafari.
"They were a perfect family," Emal Karzai, Solaiman's brother-in-law told the Chronicle. "Whatever anybody in the family needs, he was there. He worked day and night so they could have a better life."
