Man Faces More Charges in Costa Mesa Playground Deaths
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Prosecutors have added special circumstance murder charges against Steven Allen Abrams, the man accused of killing two children and injuring several others by deliberately ramming his car into a crowded Costa Mesa playground last year.
Authorities allege that Abrams intentionally killed the children while lying in wait, an enhanced murder charge that carries a possible death penalty. Abrams is already eligible for the death sentence under the original special circumstance charge of multiple murder filed last year.
At a hearing Friday in Newport Beach, Abrams waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Abrams’ next scheduled pretrial court date is Jan. 25.
Sierra Soto, 4, and Brandon Wiener, 3, were killed and four children and a teacher were injured May 3 when a car plowed through the chain-link fence at Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center.
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