The mother of the 22-month-old boy killed in a fiery car wreck in May had just one thing to say after watching the 17-year-old accused of causing the crash taken away to jail on Monday.
"He's a baby killer," Ashley Hazelton, 21, said as she left the Lackawanna County Courthouse with several family members following the arraignment of David Ranakoski, 541 N. Bromley Ave., Apt. 2, on charges of homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence and related charges. He was charged as an adult.
Ranakoski was remanded to the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail following his arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Alyce M. Farrell in Lackawanna County Central Court. He remained at the prison late Monday.
State police charged Ranakoski last week with causing the May 9 crash on Dark Region Road in Ransom Twp. that killed Hazelton's son, Cole.
Hours after the crash, Ranakoski admitted to troopers in an emergency room at Community Medical Center that he was smoking marijuana, speeding and driving without a license at the time of the crash, according to a criminal complaint.
When his Ford Focus crashed into the rear end of the Jeep Cherokee that Hazelton was driving with Andrew Carullo, 25, in the passenger seat and her 22-month-old son in the backseat, Ranakoski had taken four hits from a blunt - a cigar filled with marijuana - and was driving about 60 mph with a suspended license, according to the complaint.
A test of Ranakoski's blood later revealed the presence of cannabinoids, according to the complaint.
The crash caused the Jeep to explode and Cole died of burns and carbon monoxide poisoning after his parents' efforts to pull him from his car seat in the burning vehicle failed.
In addition to the vehicular homicide and DUI charges, Ranakoski faces aggravated assault, possession of a small amount of marijuana, driving with a suspended or revoked license and speeding.
Lackawanna County Deputy District Attorney Robert Klein said that all of Ranakoski's four passengers in the car at the time of the crash - three juveniles and Patrick Molnar - will be charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Should Ranakoski post bail, several conditions were put in place at Klein's request during the arraignment: that he is to be monitored and is not have any contact with Hazelton, Carullo or any of his co-defendants or ingest any drugs or alcohol, engage in any criminal activity or drive any vehicles.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 9:15 a.m. Sept. 1.