Parents remember teen killed in Salinas crash; suspect has long criminal history

UPDATE 10/27/2016 10:23 p.m.: Gabby Beas’ parents are leaning on each other for support.

“My daughter was a real happy person, liked to read, liked to help family, friends. In an instant, she was taken away from me,” said her father Joel Beas, wiping away tears.

The 17-year-old was a senior at El Puente School in Salinas. Her parents said she wanted to go to college and had big plans.

“She’d come home and ask me, dad, I’m ready to take that other step. She wanted to make us proud,” Beas said.

But on Tuesday, a motorcyclist going 90 miles an hour hit and killed Beas. Andrew Bennett, 30, is being charged with the crime.

“You took my daughter away from me and justice will take its course and punish you for taking my beautiful daughter,” Beas said.

And now, Beas’ parents are asking the community for help.

“We’ve had so many incidents like this in our community, and we need to stop,” Beas said.

Bennett has pleaded not guilty to several charges including vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, hit-and-run and driving without license or insurance.

He is no stranger to the law. Police say Bennett racked up a rap sheet in Oregon before moving the Salinas in January. While there, he was convicted of seven traffic violations in less than a year. He was also charged for statutory rape, assault and served jail time for domestic violence.

Bennett is also facing charges for failing to register as a sex offender after he was arrested in July. California law requires offenders to self-report within five days of moving.

He’ll be back in court Nov. 16th for both cases.

UPDATE 10/27/2016 3:20 p.m.: Andrew Bennett, accused of killing 17-year-old Gabriela Beas during a crash in Salinas, was in court Thursday.

He pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, hit and run and driving without a license or insurance.

Bennett is also facing charges on another case for failing to register as a sex offender, after he was arrested during a law enforcement sweep in July.

He will be back in court on both cases on Nov. 16.

On Thursday, the Beas family spoke with KION, sharing their emotional story after losing their daughter.

We will have more on this story.

UPDATE 10/26/16 5:45 PM: The Salinas Police Department provided corrected information Wednesday, saying the suspect’s name is Andrew Lynn Bennett, 30, who moved from Oregon to Salinas in January.Bennett was released from Natividad Medical Center Wednesday afternoon and booked into Monterey County Jail on charges of vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, reckless driving causing death, unlicensed driver, hit and run with death and no proof of insurance.UPDATE 10/26/16 12:15 PM: Salinas Police have released the name of the girl who was struck and killed by a motorcyclist Tuesday morning. Gabriela “Gabby” Beas, 17, died after being hit while trying to cross North Main Street at Harden Parkway.

According to the police, Gabriela was a student at El Puente School in Salinas and had been released early due to a minimum day schedule.

Her family has established a fundraising page (click here) to pay for funeral arrangements.

Police say the suspect, Andrew Bennett, 30, is expected to be released from the hospital and booked into county jail later today.

Investigators are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact the Salinas Police Department.UPDATE 10/25/16 10:32 p.m.: Salinas police are investigating a crash that took the life of a 17-year-old girl Tuesday morning. Police say speeding was to blame for the crash.

Witnesses say the motorcyclist, Andrew Bennett, 30, was going 90 miles per hour, almost three times the legal speed limit. He drove through a red light and hit the girl at the intersection of North Main Street and Harden Parkway.

According to the police, the girl broke several bones before her head hit the pavement. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at Natividad Medical Center.

The thoroughfare is an area with a lot of traffic and is known to be a hot spot for accident.

Bennett recently moved to Salinas from Oregon, and he received a ticket just last week for speeding. His car is still impounded.

Elias Arre was working at the Sleep Train with windows that overlook the intersection when the crash happened.

“I was just working at my desk and I heard a noise, like a sliding across the street. It was pretty loud. I could easily hear it from 150, 200 feet away,” Arre said.

Arre thought it was just someone speeding up and down the street until he heard sirens. Arre said he’s still haunted by what he saw.

“Surreal. It’s hard to explain. It’s hard to see something like that happen,” Arre said.

Other witnesses reported seeing Bennett walking away from the scene, and a few people jumped in to hold him down.

“He was saying I need to go. You don’t understand. I need to go. It wasn’t me. I wasn’t driving,” said Gerry Ross, with Salinas Police Department.

Ross said Bennett later told police he didn’t remember what happened.

Now, police are looking into Bennett’s past.

“We have found some criminal activity that he’s associated with here in California, but we are still looking into his record for Oregon,” Ross said.

Bennett also submitted a blood sample, and police say the crash doesn’t seem to be substance-related.

Bennett will be booked into Monterey County Jail after getting treatment for his injuries.

He faces charges that including hit and run causing death, driving without license, and not having insurance.

UPDATE 10/25/16 2:43 p.m.: A 17-year-old girl is dead after a motorcycle accident Tuesday morning near Northridge Mall, according to the Salinas Police Department.

Officers said she crossed North Main Street at Harden Parkway, when Andrew Bennett, 30, of Salinas, blew through a red light at about 90 miles per hour.

Traffic Sgt. Gerry Ross said Bennett doesn’t have insurance or a California Driver’s License and has a suspended license out of Oregon.

Ross said the girl was taken to Natividad Medical Center, but died before she got there.

Bennett was test-driving a motorcycle he wanted to buy from an acquaintance, according to Ross. He was also taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.

Ross said Bennett was pulled over and ticketed last week on Rianda Street for speeding. Officers reported hearing his tires screeching.

Tuesday’s incident marks the ninth deadly crash in Salinas this year. Last year there were eight, Ross said.

PREVIOUS STORY: Salinas police are investigating a crash on North Main Street near Northridge Mall Tuesday morning, slowing traffic in the area.

KION has a crew on scene and this story will be updated when more information is available.