Driver who intentionally ran over Burlingame children sentenced
Driver who intentionally ran over Burlingame children sentenced
@OCD_bylines 
(KRON) — A man who drove his SUV onto a sidewalk and intentionally plowed into a group of children was sentenced by a San Mateo County judge on Friday.
The driver, Omeed Adibi, was 18 years old at the time of the Feb. 29, 2020 crash on Howard Avenue in Burlingame. Prosecutors said Adibi erroneously believed that a group of five boys had recently vandalized his black Mercedes SUV as a prank, and he sought revenge.
His vehicle barreled into four of the five boys on the sidewalk before striking a fire hydrant. The victims were between ages 12-13. Adibi fled from the scene while his SUV dragged the broken fire hydrant with it, prosecutors said.
A 12-year-old victim suffered a traumatic brain injury, and 13-year-old victim suffered a spinal injury causing paralysis.
On Friday, Judge Elizabeth Hill sentenced Adibi to serve 16 years in prison. He has already served 1,867 days in jail, and was held behind bars in lieu of $25 million bail.
The sentencing hearing followed a 25-day-long jury trial held in May. Jurors found the defendant guilty of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury, as well as felony hit and run resulting in serious injury.
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The jury’s verdict found Adibi, 23, of San Mateo, not guilty of attempted murder.
The judge noted that Adibi lacked remorse, and he targeted vulnerable children whom he had never met prior to the crash. Instead of calling 911 to help the injured children, he called his AAA insurance company to report that he struck a fire hydrant, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
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