SMC Man Convicted Of Manslaughter After Fiery Crash Killed 2 Passengers: Prosecutors

REDWOOD CITY, CA — A 51-year-old man was sentenced to 11 years for gross vehicular manslaughter stemming from a crash that killed his two passengers in Woodside, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

On June 21, 2023, Woodside resident James Morton Worthington, along with friends Henry Keating and Josh McGuigan, dined and had drinks at Alice's Restaurant, situated on Highway 35, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

The trio then entered Worthington's sedan, reportedly driving at approximately 90 mph along the winding Skyline Boulevard. Worthington purportedly lost control of the vehicle near Reids Roost Road, resulting in a head-on collision with a tree, causing the car to ignite and killing McGuigan and Keating, prosecutors said.

Worthington was arrested by California Highway Patrol and charged by the district attorney's officer with two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, prosecutors said.

He pled no contest to the two counts and was sentenced Tuesday to 11 years in prison, prosecutors said.