Jury convicts driver in crash that killed 4 bystanders

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By Beth Boehne

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) — A man who was driving a car that crashed during a drag-race and killed four bystanders has been convicted on 10 felony counts in the 2006 crash.

Christopher Castillo, 23, broke down sobbing Thursday after a jury found him guilty of four counts of reckless homicide and six counts of criminal recklessness in the crash that killed a 6-year-old boy and three men and injured six other Gary residents.

Jurors deliberated for about two hours before finding the Gary man guilty after an emotionally charged three-day trial that included testimony from relatives, surviving victims, experts and other witnesses. Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced June 11.

Relatives of the victims crowded the courtroom to hear the verdict. One of them, Kaneka Kidd, called out, "I'm sorry, but still" to Castillo as he was taken away after the verdict.

Her son, 6-year-old Jaylen Ellis; Benjamin Harper III, 31; Conrad Richardson, 28; and Billy Muldrew Jr., 36, were killed in the crash.

Prosecutors said Castillo was driving around 100 mph on April 10, 2006, when his car collided with a car that was making a left turn at an intersection. Castillo's car flew into the air, sheared off a utility pole and came down into a crowd in an empty lot, crushing the victims.

Defense attorney Kirk Marrie declined comment following the verdict.

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