Picture of Lindsey fatal accident
Santa Barbara County – In an unusual jurisdictional move by Federal prosecutors, 23-year-old Shaquille Lindsey—a resident of Covington, Georgia—was indicted on June 28th on charges stemming from a fatal crash that occurred just after noon on August 28, 2017 in Santa Barbara County, just outside the city of Lompoc.
It was at 12:30 p.m. on that day when, according to U.S. Attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek, Lindsey allegedly “veered in the oncoming lane” on Lompoc’s Santa Lucia Road and collided with a car occupied by three Lompoc residents. Ruben and Bertha Betancourt, were killed in the head-on crash, while their son Juan Betancourt sustained serious injuries.
The ensuing investigation indicated that Lindsey was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana while “using his cellphone” at the time of the crash, and was driving “more than 15 mph above the speed limit.” Lindsey, a former member of the U.S. Air Force who had at one time been stationed at nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base, was in the area visiting friends at the time of the accident and now, according to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joanna Curtis and Julian André, faces up to 18 years in prison if convicted on two counts of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence and using his cellphone.
While motor vehicle violations are commonly prosecuted by local authorities, Lindsey’s case fell to Federal prosecutors because Lompoc’s Santa Lucia Road is under military jurisdiction and the accident investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Sheriff
