H2oi Participant Indicted on 18 Counts, Including Homicide

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – Gerald J. White was indicted, Dec. 20, on 18 counts related to the deaths of two people, Sept. 24, at an unsanctioned car rally in Wildwood. 
White, 37, of Pittsburgh, faces six, first-degree counts, including two for counts of vehicular homicide and four counts for aggravated manslaughter for the deaths of Lindsay Weakland, 18, from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and Timothy Ogden, 34, from Clayton. 
The original complaint said White was eluding police by driving his vehicle at a high rate of speed when he struck a 2014 Honda Civic, then he struck Weakland and another pedestrian, identified as Giovanni Cianciolo. Weakland was pronounced dead at the scene. Ogden, an occupant of the Honda Civic, was transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center-Atlantic City Campus, where he later died because of his injuries. Another occupant of the Honda Civic was identified as Sarah Farmer. Both Farmer and Cianciolo were transported to the hospital for treatment of their injuries and they survived.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed with the complaint, about 500 vehicles were in the Wildwoods and surrounding area over the weekend of Sept. 23. On Friday night, Sept. 24, Wildwood Police Department officers witnessed a vehicle crash in the 4000 block of Atlantic Avenue. The affidavit says officers made contact with the driver, identified as White, who fled the scene in his vehicle. Then, at 9:36 p.m., Wildwood Police officers were called to 4600 Atlantic Ave. after a report of a multiple car and multiple pedestrian motor vehicle crash. White allegedly again fled the scene before being apprehended. 
In addition to the vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges, White was indicted on 10 second- degree counts, two for knowingly leaving the scene of an accident involving death, two violations of a public health and safety law, two for assault by auto, three for aggravated assault and one for eluding police. The final two counts were in the third degree for knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury.  White has been incarcerated in the Cape May County Correctional Center since Sept. 25. 
Since that time, Wildwood has passed an ordinance banning exhibition driving within the city limits and is attempting to take other legislative actions based on the example of Ocean City, Maryland. Two years ago, Ocean City looked to its state legislature for help creating local ordinances to control so-called “pop-up’ or unsanctioned car rallies. The car rallies, in some cases, were known as H2oi events, referring to water-cooled German imports, but the events have drawn all kinds of modified, compact sports cars. Wildwood Business Administrator Steve O’Connor said Wildwood is looking at creating an event zone, as did Ocean City, Maryland, similar to a construction zone, where fines might be tripled. 
The accident for which White is charged was investigated by the members of the Wildwood Police Department and Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Crash Unit.