The Hit and Run of Acalanes Ridge
On the warm summer night of May 20th 2002, the sleeply town of Acalanes Ridge California was changed forever by a sudden shocking course of events. Two senior high school cheerleaders, Jennifer Bates and Ally Eaton were found dead in their wrecked vehicle on the side of Farris Ave. Both of the girls were very active in high school and were pillars of the community for there work in the food Orphans organization. From the first glance the wreck seems as a single car accident but further investigation gave hints to a second car. The cars front end was severely damaged with the windshield shattered and the bumper smashed. Investigators saw that neither of the girls had their seat belts on. There were tires skid marks in front of the car, a IPhone 4 that was not owned to either of the victums on the drivers side, bright blue paint chips on the ground near the side of the road and blood spatter on the outside of the car. Jennifer and Ally were on there way home from a senior party hosted by Chance Carlston and Brady Wilson. The party was said large quantities on alcoholic beverages, but Samantha Johnson a close friend of the two and a fellow cheerleader who went to the party with the girls said that they were not drinking. Most of the seniors decided to stay the night over at Chance and Brady’s house; however, Jennifer, Ally and along with a few others made the decision to not stay the night and go home. Many eyewitnesses stated that they saw four cars drive through the town Alacanes Farris Ave the time that the accident may have happened. The suspects were spotted in four separate cars passing through the vicinity of the scene at different times between 1:30 AM and 5:30 AM. Which is the time when the girls left the party and the crime was discovered. Around the time that the crime had happened Brady illegally went out and bought more alcohol for the party and it he was at Walmart, the police caught his car on the servalence footage with dents and scratches on the front of his car, he was leaving Walmart at 2:30 AM. At the crime scene police sated that a IPhone 4, that did not belong to either victim, was found near the drivers’ side on the wrecked vehicle. Later in the investigation the investigators had tracked the IPhone 4 down and it belong to Chance Carlston, which led police to believe that Chance Carlston was the perpetrator of the hit and run. Jerry Swan who also attended the senior party and left at the same time as Samantha and Ally. He drives a bright blue Mustang and was seen driving past the neighborhood Walmart at 3:20 AM. He picked up his newly repainted and repaired car on May 21st . The fourth suspect Samantha Johnson was spotted at the party with Jennifer and Ally, most say that they all showed up together but did not leave with them and left around 15 minutes later. Samantha had been drinking and was behind the wheel of a car. This hit and run accident was not an accident to some, it was murder. The night of May 20 2002, will always be remembered and the town of Acalanes Ridge will forever be changed.