Delhi man convicted for critically injuring sisters in Turlock crash
A Delhi man has been convicted for a Turlock crash that critically injured two little girls, including a kindergartner who now is a quadriplegic.
Jorge Tello on Friday pleaded guilty to a felony charge of reckless driving causing serious injuries, according to Deputy District Attorney John R. Mayne, who prosecuted the case.
Authorities have said Tello was driving an Acura sedan faster than 60 mph when it crashed into a Volvo sedan at West Hawkeye Avenue and North Golden State Boulevard, just northeast of the Stanislaus County Fairground in Turlock.
The crash occurred March 29, 2017. Shawnta Lynell was driving the Volvo. Her passengers were her daughters, Genevieve, then 4 years old, and Gia, then 13 months old.
Genevieve, who is known to her family as “GG,” suffered a spinal cord injury in the crash. When the girl attended Tello’s first court hearing in December, she was confined to a wheelchair, using a ventilator to breathe and could barely move her neck, her family said.
Her little sister Gia suffered a broken leg that had healed nicely. But her family still had concerns because the toddler had some trouble keeping her balance.
Tello refused medical treatment at the scene. Lynell was hurt, but not nearly as seriously as her little girls.
In December, Mayne warned the girls’ family that even with a conviction they shouldn’t expect Tello would spend a lengthy amount of time incarcerated, because the defendant had no criminal history.
This week, Mayne said Tello received a three-year prison sentence that will be suspended pending the successful completion of five years of probation. The prosecutor said the court also will sentence Tello to 60 days in the Stanislaus County Jail and order him to pay restitution.
Tello is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 1 in Stanislaus Superior Court. At that hearing, the girls’ family will have a chance to speak in court about the impact of the crime before Tello is sentenced. Attempts by The Bee to reach the girls’ parents, Lynell and Ryant Grayson, were not successful Wednesday.
Mayne has credited the Turlock Police Department for its investigation into the crash. Without the police investigators, prosecutors would not have been able to proceed with this criminal case.
Turlock police Officer Paul Heppner was recognized by city officials for performing CPR on Genevieve. Her little sister was initially treated at the scene by medics from the Turlock Fire Department. Heppner continued CPR on Genevieve until medics from American Medical Response arrived and took over.
The girls were treated at hospitals in Sacramento and Madera, 165 miles apart. Thanks to their family’s efforts, the girls were never alone as they received specialized treatment.
This story was originally published July 18, 2018 at 3:44 PM.