Accident Reconstructionist Hired in Fatal Crash Case

A private accident reconstructionist has been hired by the defense for a man charged in the death of 15-year-old Brandon Giordano last year.

Attorney Tara Knight, who represents 20-year-old Eric Ramirez, also of Oxford, told the Valley Indy Sentinel last week that she has given piles of court documents to an unnamed accident reconstructionist.

"I need an expert to review it to see if there’s anything in there that might be helpful," she told the online-only news site. “I’m not expecting to find any magic bullet. I just want to do my due diligence to make sure the investigation was done properly and competently.”

Ramirez was driving a 2000 Ford Mustang convertible on the night of March 9 when he refused to pull over for a Seymour police officer who tried to stop him for having illegal lights underneath his car on Route 67 in Seymour, according to a police report. Ramirez kept driving into Oxford, turned off his lights on a narrow and dark side road, and struck an embankment, the report states. The car launched nearly 60 feet through the air and hit the side of a building before landing upside down on Old State Road No. 67, police said.

Ramirez and front-seat passenger Dion Major, then 16, survived the crash. Giordano, the third passenger, died instantly.

Ramirez has been charged with misconduct with a motor vehicle, a Class D felony, reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit and two equipment violations. He is out on a $10,000 bond.

The case has been continued to March 8.