PHOENIX — The driver accused of causing a fatal crash that killed Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb's 22-year-old son and 11-month-old granddaughter has been indicted on three counts of manslaughter, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced.
Cooper Lamb and his fiancee, 20-year-old Caroline Patten, were killed after their vehicle was hit near Elliot Road and Cole Drive on Dec. 16, 2022. The couple's young daughter was also in the car.
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Police previously recommended manslaughter charges for now-22-year-old Brian Alexander Torres, the other driver, for recklessly causing the fatal collision.
"This defendant’s reckless disregard for life wiped out an entire family," said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. "After an extensive review of the evidence, it’s time for Torres-Perez to be held responsible for his actions."
A investigators reportedly found that Torres-Perez was driving with a blood-alcohol content level of 0.03 and had THC in his system at the time of the crash.
He is currently detained in the custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office with a $150,000 cash bond.
As a class 2 felony, manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for first-time offenders. Offenders with prior felonies, or in cases of aggravated manslaughter, can face 12.5 years or more.
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