Arraignment delayed for Woods case

The arraignment of the driver who authorities say killed 14-year-old Huntington Beach resident Danny Oates in August 2007 has been postponed to Dec. 5.

Jeffrey Woods, 21, was indicted by the Grand Jury Nov. 10 on one felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated and one felony count of driving under the influence causing bodily injury.

As the case is more than a year old, prosecutors opted to request a grand jury rather than a preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Susan Price said Wednesday.

On Aug. 29, Woods’ pickup truck veered across Indianapolis Avenue at Everglades Lane and instantly killed Oates, who was on his bike, according to authorities.

A Feb. 13 affidavit filed by Huntington Beach police said Woods was text messaging in regard to a drug deal about the time of the collision, and was following cars too closely.

He had Vicodin and Xanax in his system at the time of the crash, the district attorney’s office said.

Woods faces a maximum sentence of 10 years if convicted.

— Candice Baker and Jennifer Frehn