Hanford woman gets probation for crash that killed beloved 14-year-old softball player
A Hanford woman pleaded no contest Thursday to a charge of vehicular manslaughter for causing a crash 18 months ago that killed 14-year-old softball player Marissa Cardona.
Family members of Marisa expressed their frustration with the court over what they considered to be a light sentence for the driver, 35-year-old Ashley Engen. The maximum she could have received was 364 days in custody, said Superior Court Judge Stephanie Negin.
But based on her lack of criminal history, the fact that she agreed to accept responsibility and is remorseful, Negin sentenced Engen to one year of informal probation along with 360 hours of community service.
Rocky Cardona, Marissa’s father said the sentence wasn’t enough for the pain his daughter’s death has caused the family.
“You will get to continue your life like nothing happened,” he said, speaking to Engen. “You get to walk out of here while we have a life sentence. I hope you are right with God because you will have to answer to him one day.”
Marissa Cardona’s death shook the Hanford community and beyond. More than two dozen people attended Thursday’s hearing while many others have voiced their support for Marissa since her death.
The day of the crash, the Hanford West softball player was riding in her mother’s 2016 Honda Accord on their way to a softball game. A 2020 Lexus sedan driven by Engen ran a stop sign at Mt. Whitney Avenue and Cedar Street and collided with the Cardonas.
The California Highway Patrol estimated Engen was driving 76 mph. The speed limit is 55 mph in the area.
The impact of the crash sent both vehicles through a nearby chain link fence and into a lot at the northwest corner of the intersection. The Lexus rolled several times before coming to rest on its wheels at least 150 feet away from the crash site, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Marissa’s injuries were fatal. Seriously injured was her mother Leticia Cardona, as well as Engen and her 15-year-old daughter.
Engen was charged with with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and failing to stop at a stop sign, an infraction. As part of the plea agreement, the infraction charge was dropped.
Engen spoke briefly at her sentencing.
She said not a day goes by when she doesn’t think about Marissa and the suffering she has caused the Cardona family. The day of the accident, she was shuttling her daughter to a swim meet at Buchanan High School in Clovis. She wishes she could remember what happened, but she has no recollection of the crash.
“I have no answers for the family, I only have sincere remorse and regret,” Engen said. “I see Leticia in court and I want to tell you how sorry I am and that Marissa is in my thoughts and prayers every single day of my life.”
Leticia Cardona is still struggling to recover from her injuries. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and needs a walker to move around
To deal with the mounting medical bills, the judge scheduled a hearing on Nov. 3 to discuss the issue of restitution.
The Cardona family has also hired private attorney Kevin Little to represent them in civil lawsuit against Engen, Stephen Smith, the owner of the Lexus, and Fresno County.
Little alleges the intersection where the crash happened is dangerous and county officials should have made it safer a long time ago. The case is set for trial in the fall of 2024.
“We respectfully believe the Cardona’s did not get the justice they deserved in criminal proceedings so we will pursue civil remedies so that we can control what justice means and we don’t have to worry about what the DA thinks justice means,” Little said.
