Surprise witness: Helgerson often drove drunk - Corpus Christi Caller-Times
UtilContext$userObject@ffa982b |. A witness who recently told authorities he was a passenger in the car that caused the death of three siblings said the driver decided to run a stop sign just before the crash. Gregory Jolly, 20, testified Thursday for the state in the sentencing phase of the trial of Scott Ryan Helgerson, 19. Helgerson pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault in the Dec. Jolly, who lived about 200 yards from the accident at Cimarron Boulevard and Brockhampton Street, told prosecutors about two weeks ago that he had been in the car. "Scott looked at me and told me to run home," Jolly said. Helgerson told Jolly he was going to run the stop sign before his 1998 Dodge Caravan crashed into the 2006 Toyota Corolla being driven by Sahar Mostaghashi, who died in the wreck along with her 10-year-old twin siblings Negin and Sepher Mostaghashi. Mike Pena, one of the investigating officers who was first to take the witness stand Thursday, said Helgerson told police at the scene that he had been alone in the van. Helgerson often drove drunk and neglected to stop at stop signs, Jolly testified. Jolly gave no reason for waiting to tell his story, only saying that he wanted to "tell the truth. Helgerson and Jolly had gone to a nearby store to get cigarettes and were on their way back to Jolly's house when the wreck occurred, Jolly testified. Source: www.caller.com
