Street racing in husband, wife Rock Hill traffic deaths? Teen driver faces 2 homicides
A Rock Hill teen driver is charged with a second homicide and now faces allegations from police and prosecutors of street racing after a weekend crash where a chiropractor and his wife died.
Justin Valdez, 19, was charged with reckless homicide Monday in the death of Teresa Hewetson, 56, of York. She died after the Saturday night crash.
Donald Hewetson, 61, a chiropractor, died late Monday at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, said York County Coroner Sabrina Gast. Tuesday, Rock Hill police issued a second warrant for Valdez charging him with reckless homicide in Donald Hewetson’s death.
Valdez was driving an Infiniti sedan Saturday night around 8:30 p.m. Rock Hill Police Department Lt. Michael Chavis said the car crossed the center line of Celanese Road into oncoming traffic and crashed into a Chevrolet SUV driven by Teresa Hewetson. Her husband, Donald Hewetson, was a passenger.
Valdez was released on bail after his arrest Monday in connection with Teresa Hewetson’s death. He was arrested in connection with Donald Hewetson’s death Tuesday morning.
Street racing or not?
In court Tuesday afternoon, 16th Circuit assistant solicitor Matthew Shelton and Rock Hill police Sgt. Chris Rowe said officials have witness statements and video that shows Valdez was street racing.
Shelton said in court Valdez was driving 85 mph or faster before the crash.
“It is alleged there was excessive speed in what only can be characterized as street racing,” Shelton said in court.
Rowe said Valdez was involved in “spontaneous street racing.”
“During the street race, officers believe, based on video surveillance and witness accounts, the defendant reached speeds of at least 85 miles an hour and also was aggressively changing lanes,” Rowe said.
Valdez has pending traffic citations from 2020 incidents for driving more than 100 mph on I-77, and another speeding ticket, Rowe said. Valdez also was issued two warnings for excessive speed in the past three years, Rowe said.
Valdez did not speak in court Tuesday.
Montrio Belton, Valdez’s lawyer, said in court that Valdez refutes any allegation of racing.
“He (Valdez) was absolutely not street racing,” Belton said. “He was not. That has been his position. At some point, in the proper court, all of the evidence will come out.”
Belton said Valdez has been concerned about the Hewetsons since the crash, and sustained injuries himself.
According to Belton and court records, Valdez has no previous criminal record. Belton said the police claims of Valdez’s previous driving citations are not convictions.
“This young man is cloaked in the presumption of innocence,” Belton said.
Suspect in custody
Valdez was released Monday on a $50,000 bond after he was charged in Teresa Hewetson’s death. But the second charge brought a second court hearing and a second bond.
Shelton asked Rock Hill city Judge Tony Triano that Valdez remain in jail because of the second death and the allegation of street racing, which came from the continued investigation. Belton asked that Valdez be released without an additional bond.
Rock Hill city judge Tony Triano ruled that Valdez is a possible danger to the community because of the past driving and current racing allegations.
Triano issued an additional $50,000 bond for the new charge of reckless homicide, plus a no-driving order for Valdez until the case reaches disposition. Valdez was ordered to turn over his driver license to the court.
Victims worked in health care
Donald Hewetson was a well-known York County chiropractor who had practiced in Rock Hill for decades, officials and family members said. Teresa Hewetson worked at her husband’s Carolina Chiropractic clinic on Ebenezer Road, according to family.
Donald Hewetson’s sister, Deborah, a lawyer, said in court Tuesday that York County has lost two vibrant and vital members of the health care community who were dedicated to patients and the public. She called Valdez, the suspect, a “danger to the community.”
Clint Hewetson, the oldest son of Donald Hewetson, said in court that many lives have been ripped apart by the crash.
“There was a blatant and utter disregard for human life,” Clint Hewetson said.
Reckless homicide is a felony in SC
Reckless homicide is defined by South Carolina law as “when the death of a person ensues within three years as a proximate result of injury received by the driving of a vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others.”
Reckless homicide is a felony under South Carolina law and carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years for a conviction. Valdez now faces as much as 20 years in prison if convicted of both charges.
The homicide case is the fifth in Rock Hill in 2021, according to Rock Hill police statistics..
Check back for updates on this developing story.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 9:59 AM.
