Mothers of teens accused running down former California police chief speak out
LAS VEGAS – The first of two teens accused of intentionally running down a former Southern California police chief on his bicycle was booked into Clark County, Nevada Detention Center Thursday to face charges as an adult.
Records show Jesus Ayala, 18, the accused driver who was 17 at the time, faces 18 charges including murder, attempted murder, battery with the use of a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident, and numerous larceny and burglary charges.
Ayala, and Jzamir Keys, 16, who is identified as the second suspect, were both due to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court on Thursday afternoon.
Keys, who police identified as the passenger, faces charges of murder, attempted murder and battery.
The mothers of both teens addressed the allegations against their sons on Wednesday.
“I don’t know why he did this,” Alaya’s mother told KTLA’s sister station KLAS in Las Vegas. “I don’t know if God can forgive this.”
On Aug. 14, Andreas “Andy” Probst, 64, a retired police chief from Bell, California was riding his bicycle in a designated bike lane when the driver intentionally swerved to hit Probst, authorities said.
Probst was taken to University Medical Center and later pronounced dead.
The teens did not stop at the scene. Police identified Keys as the passenger who recorded the incident while both teens appeared to laugh.
Las Vegas Metro Police said they took Ayala into custody that day on charges related to the deadly hit and run and later learned about a video of the incident from a school resource officer.
KLAS reached out to Keys’ mother by phone. She initially hung up and then responded to a text message stating her family was not making any statements or addressing any accusations without their legal team.
“My son’s side of the story will be told, ‘the truth,’ not the inaccuracies the media will try to portray,” the text read.
Police revealed at a news conference on Tuesday that the teens were involved in a crime spree starting with a hit and run of another cyclist. The 72-year-old male victim survived. Police said they believed Keys was the driver at that time.
In the video recorded by the passenger, the teens are seen hitting another car on the road moments before hitting and killing Probst.
The teens had stolen four cars that day, police said.
KLAS has learned that Jesus Ayala, the accused driver has a lengthy record in the juvenile system.
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