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Canyon Country Teens Charged In Street Racing Death Due Back

Two teens who are charged with street racing in the death of Dakota Demott will be back in court later next month, a court official said Monday.


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Thomas Vensko and Colt Doherty, both 20-year-old Canyon Country residents, are being charged with contributing to the cause of the crash, a second degree murder charge.

On May 21, a judge will decide whether there is sufficient evidence for the two to be held over for trial.

The pair’s first arraignment on the charges was Aug. 9, and it was then continued to Aug. 10 and then Aug. 20 Sept. 19 and Oct 24. There was another hearing in November and then Dec. 14, they pleaded not guilty.Dakota Demott

Doherty, 20, allegedly was driving the car in which Demott was a passenger. Both drivers pleaded not guilty in December. Vensko made bail, and Doherty is still being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

FROM THE ORIGINAL STORY Jan. 22

“Both defendants entered a not guilty plea, and they will be back in court on Jan. 22,” according to an official of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

One defendant made bail and both suspects will re-appear in court Dec. 14 for an arraignment in the death of Dakota Demott, who died in an alcohol-related car crash on Sand Canyon Road on Jan. 10.

At a hearing last month, Vensko had his bail reduced to $100,000, and then he posted it, according to court officials.

Doherty is still being held on $1 million bail, according to Sheriff’s Department officials.

On the night of Jan. 10, Demott and Doherty were traveling in a Ford Mustang at a high rate of speed on Sand Canyon Road.

When Doherty entered a curve, he lost control of the car and collided with a large oak tree, the impact of which ejected Demott from the vehicle and threw him into a fence. Demott was declared dead at the scene.

Witnesses had told deputies that there were other vehicles involved in the crash. According to traffic investigator Deputy Mike Shapiro, Vensko was arrested because he was racing Doherty before the crash occurred.

“Even though he didn’t cause the death directly, because he was street racing, he faces the same penalty as the driver,” Shapiro explained.

Vensko had two passengers in the car with him, but they are not being charged.


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Canyon Country Teens Charged In Street Racing Death Due Back

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About Perry Smith

Perry Smith is a print and broadcast journalist who has won several awards for his focused, hyperlocal community coverage in several different regions of the country. In addition to five years of experience covering the Santa Clarita Valley, Smith, a San Fernando Valley native, has worked in newspapers and news websites in Los Angeles, the Northwest, the Central Valley and the South, before coming to KHTS in 2012. To contact Smith, email him at Perry@hometownstation.com.