GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ – WLUK) — After two days of a testimony, no decision was made Wednesday on whether a 16-year-old charged in connection with a high-speed fatal crash will remain in adult court, or be moved to juvenile court, as the teen has requested.
Sienna Pecore is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, hit-and-run involving death, and driving a vehicle without owner’s consent for the Oct. 30 crash at Oneida and Mason streets which killed Cruz Beltron, 17. Beltron was a passenger in her vehicle. Pecore was allegedly driving more than 100 mph at the time.
In Wisconsin, those ages 10 and older charged with certain homicide counts are prosecuted in adult court, such as in this case. Pecore was 15 at the time of the crash. The defense can and has asked for the case to be moved to juvenile court. Such requests are not automatically granted, and Pecore’s attorneys have the burden of proof for that motion.
Testimony was taken Tuesday and Wednesday as the defense argued Pecore would be better served by having the case heard in juvenile court. Prosecutors want to keep the case in adult court. Judge John Zakowski plans to review part of the transcript of testimony before making a ruling. He plans to issue a decision before a status conference on Sept. 25.
According to the criminal complaint, Pecore told police she had her mother’s car without permission.
“(The officer) asked Pecore why was she driving so fast and she said that she did not know and that she just was. (The officer) asked Pecore if she was racing another car, weaving in and out of traffic or being encouraged to drive that fast and she said she was not. (The officer) informed Pecore that a preliminary speed estimate was that she was traveling in excess of 100 MPH and Pecore said that she did not think that was right,” the complaint states.
“Pecore stated that she saw that the light was green, but then it turned yellow so she thought she could make it through the intersection. Pecore did state that she did remember seeing a vehicle stopped northbound on S. Oneida St. just south of W. Mason St. Pecore recalled the vehicle enter the intersection as she approached. Pecore stated that she then really did not remember what happened,” the complaint states.
Police used security cameras to estimate her speed.
“My analysis of the Walgreens video concluded that the Corolla was traveling an average of 170.9 feet per second or 116.5 MPH over the last 188 ft or 1.1 seconds prior to impact. My analysis of the Shell video concluded that the Corolla was traveling an average of 181 feet per second or 123.4 MPH over the last 362 feet or 2 seconds prior to impact. The posted speed limit here is 35 MPH,” the complaint states.
