On July 30th, our beloved community member, Noorbanoo Dhanani was killed in a car crash in Porter Ranch when she was going to the mosque for evening prayers. Noorbanoo Dhanani and her husband were stopped at a red light, just outside their community, waiting to make a left turn. A teenage driver, with another teen passenger, driving a high powered Camaro at a high rate of speed, recklessly crashed into the Dhanani’s car.

According to a witness, the teen driver was speeding and attempted drifting, an inherently dangerous move, when he crashed. The impact was so great that Noorbanoo was fatally injured, suffering multiple traumas and internally bleeding, and died within three hours of the crash.

Despite turning the lives of everyone who knew Noorbanoo into total disarray, this minor still rests at home with his parents without any consequences assigned to him as of yet. 

We would like to see this irresponsible driver arrested and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter. Social media shows that this driver was involved in street racing, a dangerous hobby for anyone, let alone a new and inexperienced driver. Driving at high rates of speed while engaging in inherently dangerous racing moves is negligent and criminal behavior, and should be punished as such. This teen had another teen passenger in the car in violation of the restrictions on his license, showing his complete disregard for the laws the rest of us follow. All these actions point clearly in one direction—this driver’s behavior was inherently dangerous, risky, and showed a disregard for the law—this was not an accident, but manslaughter.

Vehicles are being used as weapons; they are intentionally being used to drive fast, breaking speed limit laws, and causing crashes with devastating consequences.

Just because they are minors does not mean they are untouchable. They need to be held accountable for their actions. Isn’t that what we try to teach kids at an early age? What message are you sending to the youth, when they can take a life, and yet, continue to enjoy their own life without missing a beat?  

As our elected District Attorney, it is up to you to bring justice to the community, and the families that are left hurting by these senseless and dangerous acts. Not prosecuting only encourages this behavior further.  Please do the right thing, and make sure that our loving Noorbanoo Dhanani did not die in vain.

A husband lost his wife of 48 years, 2 members of our community lost their mother, and 5 children lost their beloved grandmother. This is your chance to do the right thing, make a change, and make sure that these young drivers are held liable for their senseless, irresponsible and reckless actions. 

Thank you for reading this letter.  Please help us bring justice to this family by signing this, so that we can present this to the DA's office; showing them that these crimes can't go on without any proper punishment!