WASHINGTON — Proceedings began Monday in the trial of Tony Steven Dane, a food truck owner who was at the wheel during a fatal collision last year in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Dane faces involuntary manslaughter and other charges in the Leesburg crash that killed an Ashburn woman and severely injured both her three children and her mother. He was driving a school-bus-turned-food-truck Sept. 8 when it ran past a stop sign and collided with Erin Kaplan’s Audi at the intersection of Watson and Evergreen Mills roads.
Prosecutors allege that Dane knew the brakes on his converted 2000 Thomas school bus were soft but kept driving anyway.
“Tony Dane killed Erin Kaplan with a deadly weapon,” prosecutor Eric Shamis said during opening arguments in Loudoun County Circuit Court. “It wasn’t a knife or a gun; it was a 22,000-pound converted school bus in terrible condition.”
Dane is also charged with driving without insurance and a truck inspection. Prosecutors accused him of lying to detectives not only about having a valid license, but also about having a valid safety inspection.
Dane had told sheriff’s deputies that his brakes failed before the crash, and that he was unable to stop before slamming into Kaplan’s station wagon. During opening arguments, defense attorney Adam Pouilliard told jurors his client had attempted to fix the brakes days before the collision.
“Mr. Dane never intended this to happen,” Pouilliard said. “He never thought he was putting anyone at risk.”
Prosecutors, however, alleged that the driver wasn’t interested in making his bus safer. “He was only interested in making a buck by getting to a high school football game,” Shamis said.
If convicted, Dane could face at least 10 years in prison.
According to court records, Dane was also indicted in Nevada for extortion, wiretapping and other charges in 2016 while working as a political strategist. As a result, he has been held without bond.
In testimony, two witnesses described the impact that enveloped the car. Another witness — an off-duty first responder — described being unable to figure out what kind of vehicle Kaplan was in despite being able to hear the children’s cries for help.
Kaplan’s husband, Faran, was also among prosecution witnesses. Earlier, he told WTOP his children are doing well in their physical recovery.
Ten men and four women were selected for the jury on Monday. Judge Benjamin Kendrick said the two alternate jurors, who won’t be involved in deliberations, will be chosen after the evidence is presented.
The trial is expected to run at least three days.
