August 02, 2015
A Buck County teenager has been convicted of homicide by vehicle for striking and killing a high school student with his car in 2014.
The Bucks County Courier Times reports that 18-year-old Michael Shelly, a Bucks County Technical High School, was convicted by a jury after more than three hours of deliberation.
The incident occurred on December 17 when prosecutors say Shelly hit 16-year-old Bensalem High School student Minete Zeka with his 1984 Ford Bronco at the corner of Bensalem Boulevard and Bridgewater Road in Bensalem, where a school bus was parked. Zeka died of blunt force trauma and suffered internal bleeding, according to court documents.
The defense argued that the death was an accident and not a result of recklessness, citing the lack of a sign alerting drivers to the bus stop at the intersection.
Bucks County prosecutor Jonathan Long, however, argued that intent didn't matter, and claimed that Shelly ignored clear safety precautions when he struck Zeka, such as the bus' yellow flashing lights indicating it was stopped.
Shelly's sentencing has been deferred for 60 days. Read more from the Morning Call, which republished the Bucks County Courier Times article, here.
