Jury Awards $33 Million to Twin Girls in California Street-Racing Wrongful-Death Case

Jury Awards $33 Million to Twin Girls in California Street-Racing Wrongful-Death Case

Introduction

San Mateo County Jury Awards $33 Million

A San Mateo County civil jury awarded $33 million on August 11, 2026, to twin girls whose parents were killed in a 2022 crash involving an alleged street race in Redwood City, California. The verdict followed a three-week wrongful-death trial arising from the November 4, 2022, collision that killed Gregory Ammen, 44, and Grace Spiridon, 42. Their daughters were seven years old when the crash occurred and survived. The jury found the teenage driver involved in the street race, his parents, and another driver liable in connection with the deaths.

Fatal Crash on El Camino Real

The case arose from a collision on El Camino Real in Redwood City as the Ammen family was traveling in their Chevrolet. According to trial reporting, Cesar Morales, who was 17 at the time, was driving at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour during a street race with another driver, Kyle Harrison. Morales' vehicle subsequently collided with the family's car as it was turning. Gregory Ammen and Grace Spiridon were killed in the crash, while their twin daughters survived.

The circumstances of the collision became the focus of both criminal proceedings and a later civil wrongful-death lawsuit. During the civil trial, jurors heard evidence concerning the speed of the vehicles, the alleged street race and Morales' previous driving history. The lawsuit sought damages on behalf of the children for the loss of their parents.

Jury Finds Multiple Parties Liable

The civil verdict extended responsibility beyond the driver whose vehicle struck the Ammen family's car. NBC Bay Area reported that jurors assigned 60% of the fault to Cesar Morales, 20% to his father Arnold Morales, 15% to Kyle Harrison and 5% to Susana Salto Alvarez, Morales' mother. The allocation reflected the jury's findings after considering the evidence presented during the civil trial.

The jury's findings concerning Morales' parents were connected to evidence about their knowledge of their son's driving behavior. According to trial reporting, Morales had previously received a citation for driving at more than 100 miles per hour. His parents testified that they were unaware of that citation before the fatal crash. The plaintiffs argued that the parents had warning signs concerning their son's driving and should have taken steps to prevent dangerous behavior.

Evidence About the Street Race

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Morales was traveling at approximately 105 to 110 miles per hour on the night of the crash. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the speed limit on the relevant section of El Camino Real was 35 miles per hour. Harrison was also involved in the alleged race, although his vehicle did not strike the Ammen family's car.

According to trial reporting, Morales and Harrison had been racing shortly before the collision. Morales' vehicle then struck the Chevrolet carrying the Ammen family. The crash resulted in the deaths of both parents and left their daughters without either of them.

Twin Daughters Were Left Without Their Parents

The two girls were seven years old when the crash occurred. Following the deaths of their parents, the children's maternal aunt, Liza Spiridon, and her husband, Jeff Hodde, took responsibility for caring for them. NBC Bay Area reported that the couple later adopted the twins.

The loss of both parents was central to the wrongful-death case and the damages sought on behalf of the children. Bay City News, in reporting published through SFGATE, reported that the award included nearly $19 million in economic damages and $7 million in non-economic damages for each girl. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that some details concerning the mechanics of the award and how it would ultimately be paid were not immediately clear following the verdict.

Earlier Criminal Proceedings

The civil verdict followed separate criminal and juvenile proceedings arising from the same crash. Morales was prosecuted in juvenile court because he was 17 when the collision occurred. CBS San Francisco reported that a juvenile court found him responsible for two counts of vehicular manslaughter and other allegations connected to the incident. He ultimately spent substantial time in custody before being released to electronic home monitoring and probation.

Harrison, who was an adult when the crash occurred, faced separate criminal proceedings. According to CBS San Francisco, he pleaded no contest to felony vehicular manslaughter and a speed-contest charge connected to the crash. He received an eight-year prison sentence but died in San Mateo County Jail in March 2025 while serving that sentence. The county coroner determined that his death was accidental and attributed it to the toxic effects of methadone, amitriptyline and gabapentin.

Three-Week Wrongful-Death Trial

The civil trial began in July 2026 and lasted approximately three weeks before the jury reached its verdict on August 11. Trial evidence focused on the circumstances of the crash, the alleged street race, Morales' speed and his previous driving history, as well as the losses experienced by the twins following their parents' deaths.

Attorney Niall McCarthy, who represented the girls' family, said after the verdict that the decision should serve as a warning to parents of teenage drivers. His comments reflected the position of the plaintiffs' legal team regarding parental responsibility and the warning signs they said were present before the crash. The jury's allocation of liability represents the formal finding reached by the civil jury after hearing the evidence.

Details of the August 11 Verdict

The San Mateo County jury delivered its $33 million verdict after considering evidence related to the November 4, 2022, crash in Redwood City. The jury found Cesar Morales, Kyle Harrison, Arnold Morales and Susana Salto Alvarez liable in connection with the deaths of Gregory Ammen and Grace Spiridon. The allocation of responsibility was 60% for Cesar Morales, 20% for Arnold Morales, 15% for Kyle Harrison and 5% for Susana Salto Alvarez. The verdict awarded damages to the couple's twin daughters, who lost both parents in the crash.