Teen Pleads Not Guilty in Crash That Killed 4

A Canyon High School senior pleaded not guilty to four counts of vehicular manslaughter Tuesday in the deaths resulting from a high-speed accident last week in Santa Clarita.

In a courtroom packed with friends and relatives of both the defendant and the four who died, prosecutors asked that bail be doubled to $500,000 for Marcus Lellan, 18, of Santa Clarita.

Police said Lellan may have been driving as fast as 100 mph on Soledad Canyon Road when he sped around vehicles and through a bicycle lane, losing control of his Acura and crashing into an oncoming Mustang.

Two of Lellan’s passengers were thrown from the car and killed. A third passenger died inside the car and a fourth passenger survived.

Lellan, who suffered minor injuries, could face up to 10 years in prison, said Deputy Dist. Atty. David Jacobs. Municipal Judge Alan S. Rosenfield set a preliminary hearing for March 23.

Lellan remained in custody Tuesday, having not posted the lower bail amount. The proposed bail increase will be decided at a March 3 hearing.

Lellan’s attorney, James Blatt, said the teenager was deeply sorry about the accident and that his parents had communicated their regrets to the parents of the three classmates killed in the crash.

Lellan’s arraignment came a few hours after a memorial service was held for crash victim Dominic Whit Ianozzi, 16, at Grace Baptist Church in Saugus. Services are scheduled at the same church at 2:30 p.m. Thursday for brothers Timothy Lee Renolds, 17, and Daniel Richard Renolds, 15. Rodney Adams, 45, the Mustang driver, will be memorialized Friday at 10 a.m. at Grace Baptist.

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Times staff writer Johnathon Briggs contributed to this story.