An attorney for a teen accused of being behind the wheel when a fellow student was killed issued an apology on behalf of her client and his parents.
"He's very, very sorry for the loss that he's caused, and he's really not thinking about himself at this moment," defense attorney Dana Grimes said on Monday. "The [driver's parents] are coping as best as they can, but this has been a very difficult time for them, and their hearts really go out to the family of Alex [Capozza] and Jaime [Arnold]."
Capozza was killed in the Oct. 5 crash in Rancho Santa Fe. Arnold was badly injured but is now out of the hospital and is expected to recover.
All three boys -- along with two other passengers -- are, or were, students at Torrey Pines High School.
The driver, who is being held at Juvenile Hall, is charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI. He was in court Monday for a routine hearing. (Because he is a minor accused of a crime, he is not being identified for this report).
"This has been a very disorienting experience for him, and this is the first time in his life that he's been in this type of trouble, or in any trouble nearly this significant," Grimes said. "But he does not want people to think that he's concerned over the stress this is causing in his life. He's really more concerned for the families of Jaime and Alex."
The teen's lawyer asked Judge George Clarke to let Grime's client admit to those crimes, serve his punishment and then have his record cleared.
One legal analyst said that if the judge agrees --and the teen does as ordered -- he would have an easier time obtaining a job or joining the military after he completes his court-ordered punishment.
Clarke scheduled a hearing next month on that request.
The teen is still in custody, at Juvenile Hall. Two weeks ago, Clark denied an attorney's request to let the boy return home with his parents while waiting for further hearings in the case.
