Charges have been dismissed against 22-year-old Ryan Stencel who was the driver involved in a tragic crash that resulted in the deaths of two passengers, Molly Kaminski and Makenzie R. Mycek, both 19 years old. Acting Erie County Court Judge Carrie Ann Phillips ruled in favor of Stencel's defense attorneys who argued for the dismissal of the criminally negligent homicide charges stemming from the 2022 incident.
The crash occurred when Stencel lost control of his Infiniti G35 sedan, which spun off the road and collided with a tree. The impact was so severe that it displaced the tree by 30 feet before the vehicle caught fire leaving Stencel as the sole survivor.
Following the crash, Stencel's blood was tested and found to contain marijuana, which was presented as evidence to the grand jury that indicted him. However, Stencel's attorneys contended that the prosecution failed to provide expert testimony to establish that the presence of marijuana indicated impairment at the time of the accident. The judge agreed and dismissed based on their argument.
In a statement, Kris and Toni Kaminski, the parents of Molly Kaminski, expressed their disappointment with the ruling, emphasizing that technicalities do not change the fact that Stencel was responsible for their daughters' deaths.
"He showed no concern for their lives as they burned to death in front of him," they stated.
Both parents criticized Stencel for not acknowledging the presence of his passengers during the aftermath of the crash.
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane announced plans to appeal the decision and expressed his disagreement with Judge Phillips' ruling. "I respectfully disagree with the decision to grant the defense motion and dismiss the indictment against Ryan Stencel," he said.
Charges Dismissed in Fatal Crash That Killed Two Women, Parents of Victims Furious with Judge