T.O. teen sentenced for fatal crash

A T.O. motorist whose traffic accident resulted in the death of a 13-year-old passenger was sentenced in juvenile court last week.

Peter Muffoletto was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter following a rollover crash that killed 13-year-old Gregory "Chase" Arnett and injured another passenger on July 10.

Muffoletto, 16 at the time, had a provisional driver’s license, which makes it illegal for young drivers to transport passengers under age 20 without an adult. He had only had his license about two months.

Muffoletto was sentenced to a month in juvenile hall, four months of electronic monitoring and 15 months of community service, according to Bernardo Gonzales, Ventura County supervising deputy district attorney.

Judge John Dobroth also ordered Muffoletto to stop attending Westlake High School because the surviving victim and Arnett’s sisters attend the school.

The crash occurred less than a mile from the three boys’ homes in North Ranch. The trio was headed east on Valley Spring Drive. The driver lost control of a 2000 Ford Lightning pickup. Investigators determined the truck was traveling at about 65 mph in a 35-mph zone.

Arnett died at the scene as a result of head trauma.

––Sylvie Belmond