2nd-Degree Murder Trial Ordered in Death of MADD Head’s Son

A man accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that killed the son of the Los Angeles director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving will stand trial on charges of second-degree murder, a Lancaster municipal judge ruled Tuesday.

Darshan Grewal, 42, is being held on $250,000 bond in the April 7 death of Adam DeJesus, 19, son of MADD Los Angeles chapter Director Marcy DeJesus. Grewal’s blood-alcohol level three hours after the accident was 0.22%, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08%, a sheriff’s crime lab analyst testified at the preliminary hearing Tuesday.

A witness testified Tuesday that Grewal drove his Cadillac west into the eastbound lane of California 18, a two-lane highway in the Antelope Valley desert near the San Bernardino County line.

DeJesus’ eastbound pickup truck swerved onto the shoulder of the road in an apparent attempt to avoid impact, but Grewal swerved with him, and the cars crashed head-on, witness Joseph Anderson said.

DeJesus was killed. His girlfriend, 19-year-old Shanya Roberson of West Hills, testified Tuesday that she suffered a skull fracture, a broken collarbone, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and other internal injuries.

Grewal has two prior drunk-driving convictions and other alcohol-related offenses on his record, authorities said.

He had his license suspended last year and was driving illegally on a duplicate he obtained of his brother’s license, according to authorities.

Prosecutors charged Grewal with murder because his record and the use of a fraudulent license show that he acted with malice and conscious disregard for human life, Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert B. Foltz Jr. said.

The victim’s mother, Marcy DeJesus, attended the hearing, accompanied by friends and family members.

Municipal Judge Ian Grant refused a request by Grewal’s lawyer, Harold Greenberg, to lower the bail. Authorities have said Grewal lived in the San Jose area, but Greenberg said Tuesday that Grewal most recently lived in Northridge.

Grant set a felony arraignment hearing for June 19 in Lancaster Superior Court.