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Teen Who Live Streamed Car Crash That Killed Her Little Sister Pleads Not Guilty to Gross Vehicular Manslaughter

Here's why Obdulia Sanchez's attorney says a crime may not have been committed.

Obdulia Sanchez, 18, who was accused of driving drunk and getting into an accident that killed her sister all while live streaming to YouTube, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to half a dozen criminal offenses, including gross vehicular manslaughter, reported the Los Angeles Times.

Sanchez faces charges of felony manslaughter while intoxicated and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, according to the Merced County district attorney’s office.

The teen was also charged with two counts of driving under the influence resulting in injury and two additional counts of driving with a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content causing injury.

“The behavior demonstrated both prior to and after the incident, as documented by the defendant’s own recording, is disturbing and shocking,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Harold Nutt said in a statement to the LA Times. “The Merced County district attorney’s office will do everything in its power to see that justice is done in this matter.”

Speaking on Sanchez’s behalf, her public defender, Ramnik Samrao, pleaded not guilty to all counts. Outside the courtroom, Samrao told reporters Sanchez “feels absolutely terrible” but also added that it remains unclear if a crime happened.

“We don’t know that she was drunk, that’s the allegation,” Samrao said outside the court room. 

Previous July 24:

An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and live streaming a fatal car accident which killed her 14-year-old sister. 

According to police, Obdulia Sanchez of Stockton, California, was driving under the influence of alcohol on Friday evening. While driving, she lost control of her Buick, swerved across lanes, crashed through a wire fence and overturned in a field. As a result of the crash, her sister, Jacqueline Sanchez, was ejected from the car.

In addition, an unidentified 14-year-old girl from Fresno was also riding in the back with Jacqueline. Although both girls were not wearing seatbelts, the unnamed girl survived the crash. She did, however, suffer major leg injuries, California Highway Patrol Los Banos Officer Chris Smith told the Merced Sun-Star.

Before the crash, Sanchez recorded herself driving and singing along to music. Suddenly in the recording, the footage gets blurry and screams can be heard coming from the girls. 

After the crash, Sanchez can be heard talking about her sister, who is unresponsive on the ground behind her. 

"I f**king love my sister to death. I don't give a f**k. We about to die. This is the last thing I wanted to happen to us but it just did," she says. "Jacqueline, please wake up. This is the last thing I wanted to happen... I killed my sister, but I don't care. I killed my sister. I know I'm going to prison, but I don't care. I'm sorry, baby. I'ma hold it down....rest in peace, sweetie."

Family members have set up a GoFundMe page for Jacqueline's funeral expenses. The teen was supposed to celebrate her quinceañera on Sunday. 

Obdulia Sanchez was booked into the Merced County Jail on charges of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter, reported CBS News. 

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