Life on Florida’s West Coast

Follow Up to Raquel Ann Carreras Story

Last September, I wrote a story about the death of 14-year-old Raquel Ann Carreras. She was killed when the underage driver of the car she was riding in crashed. In the Tampa Bay area, this was a tragic story that gripped our community and made a lot of people think twice about how serious the issue of underage drivers really is.

Yesterday, six months after the fatal accident, the mother of the 15-year-old driver was arrested and released from the Pinellas County Jail after posting $10,000 bond. She was charged with manslaughter after allowing her son take her car before he wrecked it.

Lesa Ledesma, 42, of St. Petersburg, gave her sons the keys to her Saturn, according to witnesses, even though at the time he only had a Class E learner’s permit. That type of permit mandates that someone 21 years or older be in the passenger seat and that the driver cannot operate a car after 10 p.m. The wreck occurred at 10:45 p.m. on September 15, 2007.

Her son Shawn Ledesma was charged with vehicular homicide in December.

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1 Comment »

Comment by Manuela Subscribed to comments via email
2008-10-09 10:52:05

Okay well first i like to say that i miss her so much. I really did not know her that well butt she went out with my brother, and he still remembers there first kiss and where it was at and he told me he would never forget that day . I feel really bad for every one that she was close to and i feel even bader for her sister ruthie and her mom mitchell . I love then both i still remember when she walked me home from school one the first day of schol .
but thats all .

I LOVE YOU

 
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