Teen faces sentencing in 101 Freeway fatalities

The Moorpark teen accused of crashing into a young couple on the 101 Freeway in Newbury Park last November changed his plea to guilty on Jan. 16 in Ventura County Superior Court.

George Paul Henderson, 19, is charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the Nov. 13 deaths of Shantile Stanton of Reseda and German Bonilla of Mission Hills, both 19.

Henderson remains in custody at the Ventura jail on $1 million bond, pending sentencing Feb. 27. He faces a minimum of seven years in prison, said Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara. The charges carry a term of over 13 years.

It was "take our offer or we go to trial," Pollara said.

Stanton and Bonilla were on the southbound 101 near Ventu Park Road when Henderson’s vehicle slammed into the rear of their car at about 5:45 p.m. The couple was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stanton’s 1990 Buick Skylark was stalled in the emergency lane along the center divider. Henderson entered the emergency lane at high speed in an attempt to pass rush hour traffic, investigators said.

Witnesses said Henderson’s 1995 Toyota Camry was traveling at 70 to 80 mph. California Highway Patrol officers determined Henderson was driving under the combined influence of alcohol and marijuana.

"(Toxicology reports) will be put forward as a factor in sentencing to establish the alcohol and controlled substances in his blood at the time," Pollara said.

The prosecutor said she expected at least one member from each of the victims’ families to be present at sentencing.

"It is a very hard time for the families," Pollara said. "I’m hoping they can come forward to communicate their loss."

Steve Lipson, the Ventura County public defender representing Henderson, did not return phone calls for this story.