Father Let Unlicensed Son Drive, Four People Died

Richard Ferguson moved his pickup truck out of the driveway so his 15-year-old son could take the Chevrolet Impala. His son had no license. Ferguson knew that. He handed over the keys anyway, so the boy could drive his friends to pick up a belt.

What happened next ended four lives and will likely end Ferguson's inside a prison cell.

The Crash

On September 3, 2023, Ferguson's son Ri'shard was behind the wheel of the white 2012 Impala in Poinciana, Florida. Police later determined he was traveling between 76 and 87 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone when he ran a stop sign at the intersection of Laurel Avenue and San Miguel Road.

The Impala struck a Honda carrying Trinidad Hernandez and three of her grandchildren: Anayari Hernandez, 11, Marvin Cruz, 9, and Mylie Cruz, just one year old. All four were killed.

The Trial and the Deals He Refused

Prosecutors offered Ferguson a plea deal that carried a five-year prison sentence. He rejected it. They offered a second deal with the maximum sentence capped at ten years. He rejected that too, maintaining he bore no responsibility for what his son did.

In October 2025, a jury found him guilty on four counts of manslaughter by culpable negligence. In February 2026, Ninth Judicial Circuit Judge Keith A. Carsten sentenced him to 37 years in prison.

Ferguson's defense argued throughout sentencing that he is suffering from stage four prostate cancer, a diagnosis that has worsened since his incarceration. His family said he would be unlikely to receive adequate treatment behind bars. The sentence, at his age and with his illness, is widely understood to mean he will die in prison.

The Family He Left Without Anyone

Sabrina Hernandez lost her mother and all three of her children in the same crash. At sentencing, she told the court that Ferguson's family can still visit him, still see him, still speak to him. Her family exists only in memory. If she wants to hold her children, she holds a vase filled with their ashes.

She rejected the focus on Ferguson's illness and asked the court for the maximum sentence, telling the judge that Ferguson would go on living while her loved ones could not.

What Happened to His Son

Ri'shard Ferguson pleaded guilty to multiple counts of manslaughter as part of a juvenile plea deal. Under the agreement, he is required to remain in a juvenile detention facility until he turns 19 with good behavior, followed by two years of supervised release.

Richard Ferguson was convicted of four counts of manslaughter by culpable negligence and sentenced to 37 years in Florida state prison.