HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — On Oct. 22, Michael Hoerig was involved in a car crash that left him brain-dead. His family decided to donate all of his organs, giving dozens of others a second chance.
That car crash is now in court as a teen faces vehicular homicide and illegal street racing charges.
Charles Meininger was 16 years old at the time of the crash. Now at 17 years of age, he is being charged as an adult.
"We showed up and there had been a Camaro that crashed into a truck," Marco Villarreal, public information officer with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, said on what happened the day of the crash. "Through the course of our investigation, we discovered that this young man has been taking his Camaro and driving it at a high rate of speed up and down the street several times."
Villarreal said Meininger was charged with illegal racing on a highway because of the high speeds he was driving, not because he was racing another driver.
"When someone is exhibiting a high rate of speed, that counts as racing," Villarreal said. "In this case, we have a witness that saw the driver going up and down the road at a very high rate of speed in his Camaro, and therefore he was charged for that."
The crash took place on Lake Fern Road in Lutz. The speed limit there is 45 miles per hour.
"He hit him at least 80 miles per hour, so you can imagine the damage you can do when a Camaro hits a truck at that high speed," Villarreal said.
Michael Hoerig was 20 years old when he died. His mom said she takes comfort in knowing that when her son was driving home, he seemingly did everything right.
"Michael had a green light," Gina Hoerig said. "He was wearing his seatbelt. He was traveling 11 miles per hour when a Camaro hit him on the driver's side."
The intersection where the crash took place was less than a mile from Michael Hoerig's house. Gina Hoerig said the crash was so severe that the door had to be removed from her son's truck for him to be removed from the vehicle.
"The impact was at 94 miles per hour," Gina Hoerig said. "So it broke his neck and his spine and the impact, the multiple contusions to his brain caused brain death."
Meininger's arraignment was held Wednesday afternoon. A disposition date was set for March 27. He faces felony and misdemeanor charges.
Illegal street racing in Florida is a first-degree misdemeanor. Penalties include up to a year in jail, a minimum fine of $500 for the first offense, and driver's license revocation.
Vehicular homicide is a second-degree felony in Florida. According to Musca Law, the offender convicted of vehicular homicide must receive no less than nine years and three months incarcerated before release. The judge can give a maximum of up to fifteen years.
Michael Hoerig's family said they hope this case raises awareness of the dangers of street racing.
"Make sure your teen, your child know the ramification of being behind a wheel and the impact that can devastate so many by their choices," Gina Hoerig said.
When asked how she's working to find closure over her son's death, regardless of the outcome in court, Gina Hoerig said she's searching for bravery.
"Doing a lot of praying and asking for God to give me the courage to forgive and to be thankful for the 20 years I had with my son," she said. "He was a great gift. Closure for me means that justice is served."