The charges in this case arose from a two-car accident involving the vehicle of the defendant Mark D. Abbott. The occupants of the other car were killed. Maple Road, which traverses a residential area, is a four-lane highway with designated speed limits.
Traffic is controlled by traffic control signal lights at various intersections.
Spaced white lines divide the two eastbound and the two westbound lanes and double yellow lines spaced approximately four feet apart separate the eastbound and westbound lanes. Both Moon and Abbott were observed racing at very high rates of speed by the occupants of at least three other vehicles which were traveling along Maple Road at the time. At one point in particular Moon was observed trying to overtake Abbott's vehicle by crossing over the double yellow line and traveling in the westbound lane. An automobile driven by Patricia A. Hammond, which entered the intersection of Maple Road and Palmdale, was struck broadside by the Abbott vehicle instantly killing Mrs. Hammond and her two passengers. Moon's vehicle fishtailed through the scene of the accident and avoided collision with the two vehicles.