Jury: Man guilty of 3 killings after ‘ding dong ditch’ prank

Apr 28, 2023, 4:47 PM

FILE - An officer with the California Highway Patrol's (CHP) Multidisciplinary Accident Investigati...

FILE - An officer with the California Highway Patrol's (CHP) Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) investigates the scene of a deadly crash in the Temescal Valley, south of Corona, Calif., Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. A jury found a Southern California man guilty Friday, April 28, 2023, in the killings of three teenage boys after they played a doorbell-ringing prank on him in 2020. (Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — A jury found a Southern California man guilty Friday in the killings of three teenage boys after they played a doorbell-ringing prank on him in 2020, according to a newspaper report.

The victims were among six teens inside a Toyota Prius on Jan. 19, 2020 when Anurag Chandra intentionally rammed their vehicle off the road and fled. The Prius’ driver lost control and the sedan slammed into a tree in Temescal Valley, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

The friends had dared one boy to either jump into a pool at night or play “ding dong ditch.” The boy ran up to Chandra’s home — a stranger to the teenagers — rang the doorbell and and ran back to the car when Chandra opened the door.

The jurors found Chandra guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder. About 30 people attended the reading of the verdict Friday, including the three survivors, The Press-Enterprise reported.

Chandra’s attorney, David Wohl, and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately return requests for comment Friday.

Chandra took the witness stand during his trial and testified that one of the boys rang the doorbell and exposed his buttocks before running away, according to The Press-Enterprise. Chandra testified that he followed because he feared for his family’s safety and wanted to express his anger. He said he was “extremely, extremely mad” from the prank.

Chandra also testified that he drank 12 beers in the hours before the crash, the newspaper reported. He said he did not plan to crash into the Prius and testified that he not stop after rear-ending the sedan because he did not realize anyone had been injured — even though he admitted under cross-examination that he had been driving 99 mph (159 kph) before the collision.

The crash killed 16-year-olds Daniel Hawkins of Corona; Drake Ruiz of Corona; and Jacob Ivascu of Riverside, according to the Riverside County coroner’s office.

Sergio Campusano was the Prius’ 18-year-old driver at the time. He and then-13-year-olds Joshua Hawkins and Joshua Ivascu survived the crash and testified against Chandra during the trial.

Chandra already was facing criminal charges in connection with alleged domestic violence in 2020 when the killings occurred.

United States News

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang at right meets with...

Associated Press

UN envoy for Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer to leave post in June

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Noeleen Heyzer, the U.N. special envoy for conflict-torn Myanmar, will be leaving the job in June, the United Nations announced Wednesday. She took on the job in October 2021 following the military coup in February of that year that ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and has […]

12 hours ago

FILE - Defendant Alex Murdaugh gives testimony during his murder trial at the Colleton County Court...

Associated Press

Alex Murdaugh pleads not guilty — for now — to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Alex Murdaugh was arraigned Wednesday on federal money laundering and wire fraud charges for indictments saying he stole money from his clients. The convicted murderer already serving a life sentence in a South Carolina state prison for killing his wife and son pleaded not guilty for now. But his lawyers said […]

12 hours ago

Associated Press

Texas governor appoints John Scott as interim attorney general after Paxton impeached

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday appointed John Scott to temporarily serve as Texas’ attorney general after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Ken Paxton, a Republican, over allegations of misconduct and crimes. The trial in the state Senate that could result in his permanent removal. The Senate has set the […]

12 hours ago

FILE - West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice delivers his annual State of the State address in the House C...

Associated Press

Coal firms owned by family of West Virginia governor sued over unpaid penalties

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Thirteen coal companies owned by the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice are being sued over unpaid penalties for previous mining law violations that the federal government says pose health and safety risks or threaten environmental harm. Justice, who was not named in the lawsuit, accused the Biden administration of […]

12 hours ago

FILE - Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks prior to signing the budget at a ceremony at a grocery s...

Associated Press

Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin sends 100 National Guard soldiers to US-Mexican border

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin is joining the list of Republican governors sending soldiers or other state law enforcement officers to the U.S. border with Mexico. Youngkin announced Wednesday that in response to a request from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott he had signed an executive order directing the deployment of 100 Virginia National […]

12 hours ago

Bulldozers and heavy trucks are seen cleaning the ground of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Cent...

Associated Press

Police in Atlanta arrest 3 behind bail fund supporting protests against police training complex

ATLANTA (AP) — Police on Wednesday arrested three key Atlanta organizers who have been aiding protesters against the city’s proposed police and fire training center, striking at the structure that supports the fight against what opponents derisively call “Cop City.” The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced its agents and Atlanta police had arrested three officers […]

12 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Spinal fusion surgery has come a long way, despite misconceptions

As Dr. Justin Field of the Desert Institute for Spine Care explained, “we've come a long way over the last couple of decades.”

Jury: Man guilty of 3 killings after ‘ding dong ditch’ prank