The 18-year-old woman who, while allegedly high on Oxycontin and Xanax, took the wheel of a passenger van and fatally struck a homeowner, was indicted on 28 charges, including manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree and operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs. If convicted on all counts, Kayla Gerdes could face up to 59 years in prison. Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice said, "This defendant was focused on nothing else but getting high, and now an innocent woman has been violently killed." more ›

Brian Steele seems to make a lot of bad decisions. Back in April, he let his girlfriend—who was allegedly high on painkillers—drive his van, and she ended up jumping a curb and fatally striking a woman who was gardening in her front lawn. Yesterday, he was charged with driving while impaired and drug possession when Nassau County police saw him driving without his seat belt. (The Post claims he was parked too far from the curb.) more ›

The man who apparently allowed an unlicensed and allegedly high 18-year-old to take the wheel of a passenger van—she then crashed the van into a Hempstead house, killing its owner—has spoken out, through a lawyer, about the fatal incident. Brian Steele's lawyer Michael DerGarabedian told Newsday (subscription required), "Mr. Steele is also grateful the operator of the car, Kayla Gerdes, and her attorney, by virtue of both their many statements released to the press earlier this week, has accepted responsibility for her actions. Mr. Steele hopes that Ms. Gerdes gets the help that her attorney claims she desperately needs to become a productive member of society." more ›

The mother of 18-year-old Kayla Gerdes who jumped a curb and drove a passenger van into a Hempstead home— fatally striking the home's 69-year-old owner—defended her daughter yesterday. Tara Gerdes told Inside Edition, "It's your worst nightmare as a parent to have this happen. They're portraying her as a horrible teenaged girl who doesn't care, could care less. It's so not true." more ›

The 18-year-old woman who drove a passenger van into a house—killing its owner—in Hempstead on Tuesday was admitted to the Nassau County jail's medical ward. Kayla Gerdes was allegedly high on Oxycontin and Xanax, which police say contributed to the crash, while Gerdes' lawyer doesn't think his client was high (she did tell reporters that she was on prescription drugs), saying instead that his client mistook the accelerator for the brakes. But she really wanted to know what she looked like on the news! more ›

The 18-year-old who was allegedly high on Oxycontin and Xanax when she drove a passenger van into a Hempstead, Long Island home, fatally striking the home's owner, was hysterical when taken out of the police station yesterday. Kayla Gerdes screamed to reporters, "No, I didn't [purposely aim for her.] Listen, stop -- listen, it was an accident! Please leave me, alone it was a mistake! Stop it was a mistake! No, I was on prescription drugs, it was a mistake! Stop! Leave me alone!" (Video below.) But she reportedly told police investigators, "The thing that made me feel not so bad was she was old," referring to victim Rebecca Twine-Wright, "I mean, 70 years is a long time to live." more ›