Bradenton teen found competent to stand trial on two vehicular homicide charges

MANATEE -- A Bradenton teen charged with running a red light in a stolen sports utility vehicle and then crashing it into a car, killing two women, was found competent Wednesday to stand trial later this month.

Emerson Herrera, 17, is charged with two counts of first-degree vehicular homicide and grand theft auto for the Nov. 20, 2014, crash at the intersection of 26th Street West and 53rd Avenue West that killed Gabriella "Gigi" Longpre, 22, of Bradenton, and Jessica Costanzo, 23, of Venice.

Herrera is scheduled to appear in court Thursday where he may accept a plea agreement. If Herrera does not accept the plea and is convicted by a jury, he could face up to 45 years in prison.

His trial was set for the two-week period starting Nov. 30.

Herrera has been held at the Manatee County jail since his Dec. 10 arrest after a joint investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. Less than two months before the fatal crash, Herrera had been out of jail on his own recognizance in an unrelated case in which he is charged with accessory to murder after the fact. A judge released him as the state awaits a decision from the District Court of Appeals after the judge ordered Herrera's recorded confession suppressed. Herrera's criminal history includes 19 prior arrests.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Bradenton teen found competent to stand trial on two vehicular homicide charges ."