Teen charged in March 20 car crash that killed 46-year-old West Warwick mother of two

Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch’s Office has charged a West Warwick 17 year old with one count of driving to endanger-death resulting, one count of possession of alcoholic beverages, and one count of transporting alcoholic beverages in connection with a March 20 car crash on Route 2 South that killed Louisa Avila, a 46-year-old mother of two, also of West Warwick. The charges resulted from an investigation that the Warwick Police Department Traffic Division had been conducting since the crash occurred, at about 11:30 that night.

Appearing before Family Court Associate Justice Stephen J. Capineri this afternoon, the respondent, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, pled not guilty to the charges. Judge Capineri ordered the respondent held in home confinement and prohibited him from driving pending further court order. The case is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on May 1.

The investigation revealed that the youth and his 16-year-old passenger, a fellow student at West Warwick High School, had attended a party at the home of another fellow student earlier that night. After the party and stopping to eat at Wendy’s restaurant, the youths headed south on Route 2. With the respondent allegedly traveling at an extremely high rate of speed, his car struck Louisa Avila’s car at the intersection of Quaker Way, with the momentum pushing her car more than 100 feet from the point of impact farther down Route 2. Louisa Avila, who was attempting to turn left onto Quaker Lane to get home after working the second shift at Amtrol, was killed instantly.

“The Warwick Police Department deserves credit for having conducted an excellent investigation into this completely avoidable tragedy,” Lynch said. “I don’t know how many more tragedies it will take before our teenagers begin to understand how menacing and deadly their bad decision-making can be. I offer our deepest condolences to Louisa Avila’s children and extended family and friends.”