Albany 17-year-old sentenced for fatal crash

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany County District Attorney's Office announced that Caleb Maya, 17, of Albany, was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison as a result of a fatal car crash case. Maya pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on January 30.

The initial indictment alleged that on October 7, 2023, Maya recklessly caused the death of 14-year-old A’Mon Willis and injured two other victims when he drove over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 890 in Colonie, lost control of the car, and crashed into another vehicle. The collision caused Willis to be ejected from the car, resulting in his death.

The parents of A’Mon Willis both issues statements on the case. "I can’t even describe the pain that I feel every single day, since the moment I was told that A’mon passed away." said Jessica Willis, the victim's mother. I’m broken. I feel an emptiness inside, and mentally I know I’ll never be the same. A parent should never bury their child."

Alphonso Willis, the victim's father, said "Every day I deal with this sadness and guilt as a parent. Seeing his toothbrush in the same spot since he last used it, or his bed still made so I can pretend nothing happened. Every day is a struggle for us."

Maya was not granted status as a youthful offender. His guilty plea fully satisfied the initial indictment, which also included second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

"In the pre-sentence investigation report, the defendant refers to A’mon Willis as his best
friend, his brother…You lose the right to call someone your best friend, your brother, when you
drive a stolen car at 111 miles per hour, in the rain, without a license, after having consumed
alcohol, with cannabis in your blood, and crash causing catastrophic injuries, then try to pin
blame on the victim." said Albany District Attorney Mary Tanner-Richter.