The man accused of killing Sarah Hyland‘s teenage cousin and injuring his father in a DUI car crash in Nebraska now faces extra charges of manslaughter and assault.
Earlier this month, the Modern Family actress revealed that her 14-year-old cousin Trevor Canaday “was killed by a drunk driver.” The Omaha Police Department said in a statement at the time that on December 1, Jeffrey Eggeling, 36, drove a 2011 Ford Escape through a red light and crashed into the passenger side of a 1993 Nissan Maxima carrying Trevor and driven by his dad, Clifford Canaday, 59, who goes by Bryan. After the collision, Eggeling fled on foot before he was apprehended, police said. Eggeling was driving more than 20 miles over the speed limit at the time of the crash and later admitted to have driven the vehicle, while his blood-alcohol level tested at .103, prosecutors have said, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
Prosecutors initially charged Eggeling with motor vehicle homicide, DUI causing serious bodily injury, and leaving the scene after accident causing serious injury or death. At a preliminary hearing on Friday, he was given two extra charges, of manslaughter and assault in the second degree. He remains in jail on a $750,000 bond as he awaits trial. Eggeling has three prior convictions for driving while intoxicated and operating a boat while drunk, the newspaper said.
Trevor had sustained a life-threatening head injury as a result of the crash, which also ejected him from the vehicle. He and his dad, who police said suffered serious but non-life threatening head and facial injuries, were transported to a hospital after the collision. Trevor’s family later made the decision to remove him from life support.
“We had to make the decision that no one has to make, especially when you are a mom. When you bring your baby into the world and you have to make the decision to let them go. So, we contacted a priest and they came out at 3 a.m. Trevor got his wings,” his mother, Becky Canaday told NBC TV affiliate WOWT on December 3. “This shouldn’t happen to anyone ever again. People have to be aware. They can’t make these decisions to ruin people’s lives.”
“He needs to go away forever,” said her daughter and Trevor’s sister, Zoee. “It’s not fair that someone so careless and so selfish can take my little brother away from me.”
—Reporting by Beth Sobol