License to Ride

A driver runs over a woman, killing her. Is one of his passengers a murderer? In at least one case, he is, according to local prosecutors.

The 1st Judicial District Attorney's Office on Monday charged two men, Philip Zaman, 25, and Khristopher Marshall, 26, with first-degree murder in the death of Teena Larson. Specifically, prosecutors say that the pair acted with "depraved minds," a term for offenders who kill with indifference to human life. According to police reports, Zaman reversed his BMW over Larson on the evening of January 12, 2016, after Larson, 54, tried to stop her daughter from leaving her residence. Zaman then switched gears and ran over her a second time.

Larson died at the scene. Marshall and Larson's daughter, Natasia Larson, sat in the car with Zaman when the incident happened. The two passengers were dating "on and off" at the time. Natasia Larson and Marshall had just had an altercation with Teena Larson, who disapproved of their relationship. Teena had tried to keep Natasia from leaving with the two men shortly before Zaman's vehicle struck her.

After the car hit Teena Larson, Marshall said, "What did you just do?" according to a statement that Natasia Larson gave to police.

Marshall pleaded not guilty, and is being held on a $10,000 bond. If released, he will be required to remain at his home at all times. Zaman did not make his arraignment, due to a scheduling conflict related to a separate attempted murder charge. Both men are also charged with vehicular homicide, an alternative count, and attempting to flee. Marshall's public defender, Matthew Swessinger, says the state doesn't have a case against his client. "I think there is no basis in fact to support the charge," Swessinger says. "Prosecuting someone for murder when they are a mere passenger is unprecedented in the state, as far as I know." Marshall's case has echoes of a previous case involving a non-driving passenger involved in vehicular homicide.

Following a highly publicized 2012 trial, a jury acquitted former police officer Alfred Lovato of vehicular homicide. Lovato, then working on Gov. Bill Richardson's security detail, came under fire for drinking heavily with Carlos Fierro, a prominent attorney, and later riding with Fierro when he drove into a pedestrian, killing him.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article misidentified the woman who sat in the car with Khristopher Marshall when it struck Teena Larson. She is Natasia Larson, not Tara Larson, who is Natasia's sister. We also removed a reference to another individual who was not on the scene when the incident happened. We also updated the language to more precisely reflect the events as they are told in a police report.

Santa Fe Reporter