Action Against O.C. Teen Is Dropped

A 16-year-old motorist, whose inattention may have caused a crash that killed two of her teenage passengers on their way to a school dance, will not be prosecuted, officials said Wednesday.

“Based on the investigation we had, it just didn’t seem like there was enough evidence there to file charges,” said Lt. Kenn Rosenberg, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

Ashley Melbourne of Aliso Viejo was driving five teens to a dance on May 26 when she took her eyes off the road while reaching for a pack of gum at 70 mph, officials said.

Her 2000 Isuzu Rodeo was drifting toward the center divider when a passenger grabbed the steering wheel and tried to pull the car back into the lanes of the northbound San Joaquin Hills toll road.

The car flipped.

Jonathan Schulte, 16, of Orange and Gillian Sabet, 17, of San Clemente were killed. Melbourne, who was Sabet’s best friend, and the other three passengers were injured.

The teenagers were heading to a dance sponsored by JSerra High School, a Roman Catholic school in San Juan Capistrano that three of them attended.

In declining to press charges, Rosenberg said, the Orange County district attorney’s office considered, among other things, Melbourne’s grief.

“The juvenile system is for rehabilitation as opposed to punishment,” he said.

“She is a good student and an outstanding citizen -- there’s nothing that the juvenile court system could do to rehabilitate her for this act.”