OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A teenager has accepted a plea deal for a 2023 crash in Poinciana that killed a grandmother and her three grandchildren.
Ri’Shard Ferguson, who was 15 and unlicensed when he caused the fatal wreck, pleaded guilty to his manslaughter charges. He will remain in juvenile custody until he turns 19. He will then be under supervision until he is 21.
His attorney said he could have gone to trial, but he decided to take the deal because “he didn’t want to put the family through a trial.”
Authorities say Ferguson ran a stop sign at more than 70 mph on Sept. 3, 2024. He crashed in to a car with the 50-year-old woman and her grandchildren, ages 11, 9 and 1. All four died.
Ferguson’s attorney said the teen took responsibility for his actions, reading an emotional letter to the victims’ family during the hearing. He described that hearing as one of the “hardest things he’s done in his career.”
Meanwhile, the case against Ferguson’s father, Richard Ferguson, is still heading to trial. Richard Ferguson is charged with vehicular manslaughter for allowing his unlicensed son to drive. Jury selection is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 27.
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