Arrests made in fatality crash case of Franklinton resident


Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 8:55 AM CDT


COVINGTON (AP) — Both drivers involved in a drag race that claimed the lives of two passengers in rural St. Tammany Parish last week have been arrested, authorities said Monday.

The drivers face charges including negligent homicide and drag racing, which is banned under a state law that was recently amended to include stiffer penalties for informal competitions that result in injuries or death.

Charles Patrick Mullen, 19, was racing his friend Dean Barry Jiles, 19, near Goodbee on Wednesday afternoon when Mullen lost control of his car on a curve and crashed into trees along the road. Two of his passengers, Christopher A. Titus, 31, of Covington, and James "Aaron" Randol, 20, of Franklinton, were killed. Mullen and another passenger, a 17-year-old woman from Madisonville, were injured in the crash.

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Mullen and Jiles each were booked into the St. Tammany Parish jail in Covington with two counts of negligent homicide, one count of negligent injuring, one count of reckless driving and one count of drag racing on public roads, Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. George Bonnett said. Mullen also was booked with one count of driving without a license, Bonnett said.

Jiles' pickup truck, which he had upgraded to increase its speed, did not crash into Mullen's car, according to Mullen and Sheriff's Office investigators.

"The fact that they were drag racing was clearly a case of criminal negligence that led to the deaths of two passengers in the car," Bonnett said. "They're both responsible because they were both racing."

St. Tammany Parish deputies arrested Jiles on Saturday at his home. Mullen, who was staying with a friend in Tangipahoa Parish, was arrested by Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office deputies in Ponchatoula.

Mullen, of Hammond, and Jiles, of Goodbee, were not arrested immediately after the accident because investigators needed time to examine evidence and determine exactly what happened, Bonnett said.

Both Mullen and Jiles are being held on bonds of more than $180,000.

Bonnett said deputies take drag racing very seriously and regularly stop offenders.

Copyright © 2010 Daily News

Comments

    xstreetdragracer wrote on Aug 27, 2009 5:08 PM:

    " these guys shouldn*t have 2 loose there lifes also for this.all involved should b held responsable(passengers/drvrs)putting them away 4 the rest of there life want right this tradgedy.i*m glad I never had this happen 2 me an race on th track only now an talked 2 guys regular 2 git off the street "

    concerned wrote on Aug 26, 2009 8:42 PM:

    " I glad to see these boys arrested, hope they get a jury that will put them in jail for about 30 years. The first report I read it seemed Mullins thought Oh, we were doing a little drag racing. No big deal. Hope they get what they deserve.
    My prayers are with the familys of the victums. "

    grandma wrote on Aug 26, 2009 9:37 AM:

    " I'm glad to see both young men being held responsible since it takes to drag race. I know that they have both learned a hard lesson already at a great cost to many. They still should have to face the punishment so when the shock wears off they might think before they do it again. "

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