In a verdict that has rippled through San Mateo County, Omeed Sean Adibi was found guilty on several lesser felony charges for the vehicular assault of four teenagers in Burlingame, as per the District Attorney's announcement. Adibi, now 23, faced a jury that decided against attempted murder charges, choosing instead to convict him of five counts of assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of hit and run, according to the X posts by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
Omeed Sean Adibi (23) found guilty by jury of 5 felony cts ADW & 2 cts hit & run. In Feb '20, Adibi struck (2) 12yr old & (2) 13 yr old boys with his vehicle & then a fire hydrant, fleeing the scene, dragging the hydrant. He was detained by civilians when he stopped to remove it. pic.twitter.com/oPjvXbhHkA
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) May 7, 2024
The 2020 incident, which left two 12-year-old boys and two 13-year-old boys severely injured, was allegedly a fallout from a misattributed prank involving animal feces placed in Adibi's car, reports the Mercury News. The assault, which occurred when Adibi was 18, could have seen him facing life in prison under attempted murder charges. Still, the conviction for lesser felonies means that the once-possible life sentence is no longer on the table.
Following the jury's decision, Adibi's defender, Jon McDougall, expressed relief, saying, "We feel vindicated by the jury," he told Mercury News. The sentencing is slated for this summer, though no specific date has been confirmed.
During the trial, harrowing testimonies from the injured parties were juxtaposed with psychological analyses of Adibi. Clinicians called upon by his attorneys detailed Adibi's diagnosed bipolar disorder, or cyclothymia, and ADHD, which they claimed contributed to his impulsive, irritable demeanor and depressive mood, states Mercury News. Despite medication, the persistent symptoms continued to afflict Adibi right up until the accident.
The jury heard not only from the boys whose futures would be forever darkened by Adibi's actions but from their families as well. One mother recalled her son's prolonged hospitalization and how he has been frequently pained and anxious since then. Meanwhile, Adibi's attorney argued his client's desire to accept responsibility and to convey remorse, which was challenged when a mental health diversion program rejection forced them to trial, says Mercury News.
The District Attorney’s Office had not immediately returned a request for comment following the trial's outcome.
