Florida Father Richard Seymour Ferguson Found Guilty of Manslaughter After Letting Unlicensed Teen Son Drive — Crash Killed Grandmother and 3 Grandchildren in Poinciana

A Florida father has been convicted of four counts of manslaughter after allowing his 15-year-old unlicensed son to drive his car, leading to a high-speed crash that killed a grandmother and her three grandchildren in Poinciana.

An Osceola County jury on Wednesday found 68-year-old Richard Seymour Ferguson guilty for his role in the September 3, 2023 collision that claimed the lives of 53-year-old Trinidad Hernandez and her grandchildren, ages 1, 9, and 11.

Investigators said Ferguson’s son, 15-year-old Ri’shard Ferguson, was driving a Chevy Impala at a dangerously high speed when he ran a stop sign at the intersection of San Miguel Street and Laurel Avenue and slammed into Hernandez’s 2022 Honda HR-V. Hernandez and her 11-year-old granddaughter were pronounced dead at the scene. The younger two children were transported to a nearby medical center, where they later died from their injuries.

Authorities estimated that Ri’shard Ferguson was traveling between 76 and 83 mph just before impact. One witness said the Impala appeared to be moving at over 100 mph. Data from the vehicle’s onboard system showed the gas pedal was pressed at 100 percent immediately before the crash and 90 percent at the moment of impact, with no evidence of braking.

Florida Father Richard Seymour Ferguson Found Guilty of Manslaughter After Letting Unlicensed Teen Son Drive — Crash Killed Grandmother and 3 Grandchildren in Poinciana

Ri’shard previously reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, admitting guilt to multiple counts of manslaughter. Under the deal, he will remain in a juvenile detention facility until he turns 19, followed by two years of supervised release. His attorney said the teen has taken responsibility for his actions.

Prosecutors argued that Richard Ferguson knowingly allowed his unlicensed son to take the vehicle that night. Court documents showed that he moved another car to give his son access to the Impala and watched him leave with three other minors. One of the passengers testified that Ferguson told them to “buckle up” before they left, while making no effort to stop them.

Richard Ferguson.

Taking the stand in his defense, Ferguson denied granting permission. He told jurors he had only asked his son to move the car down the driveway to make space for guests and that the teen drove off without his consent. “No, nor did I give him the keys,” he said. “If you listen to all three witnesses, they said I never gave him the keys.”

Despite his claims, jurors found Ferguson criminally responsible for enabling his son’s actions. A pre-sentencing investigation has been ordered, and no sentencing date has been set. Under Florida law, vehicular manslaughter is punishable by up to 15 years in prison per count, with a mandatory minimum of 9¼ years in certain cases. Ferguson now faces a possible sentence ranging from 37 years to life in prison.