Man accused of killing sisters after crashing into Fresno home gets 2nd delay in court

The man who prosecutors say killed two sisters by crashing into their house last month was back in court on Thursday.

Gabe Ferris Image
Friday, November 22, 2024
Man accused of killing sisters after crashing into Fresno home gets 2nd delay in court
Justice was delayed again Thursday as, for the second time in just 30 days, accused killer Adam Canales was not ready to enter a plea.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Justice was delayed again Thursday as, for the second time in just 30 days, accused killer Adam Canales was not ready to enter a plea. He is charged with a deadly law enforcement chase.

"The request is to continue arraignment to January 16th," his public defender said. "Canales continues to look for private counsel."

Canales now has two more months to hire a private attorney to defend him against two counts of murder, evading an officer, and leaving the scene of an accident.

Action News legal analyst Tony Capozzi says it is probably the last delay Canales will get.

"At the end of these two months, if there isn't an attorney, the public defender or someone's going to be appointed to represent this defendant in court," Capozzi said.

As Canales hires his attorney, the horrifying trail of destruction he is accused of causing is still visible at this Central Fresno home.

Prosecutors say he led gang enforcement deputies on a 27-second chase last month. It ended in this dramatic crash, killing 25-year-old Mang Yang and 18-year-old Eliza Yang who were in the house at the time.

Neighbor Sylvia ran to help the innocent victims.

"I had to take the dad out from the room because he was trying to lift the SUV up by himself, trying to get his daughters out from the bottom. That was just sad."

At last check, the victims' family was staying in a hotel because their home is unlivable. Sylvia says they had just moved in a few months before the crash. Now, she says, it has been vandalized by unhoused people.

"They see the candles (and) the pictures out here, and they still come in here and just - they've broken into the house I don't know how many times," Sylvia said.

Canales is now due back in court in January.

He is held on a $2,140,000 bail.

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