George Russell Weller

Who was George Russell Weller?

George Russell Weller was a retired salesman from Santa Monica, California, who gained notoriety as the motorist in a fatal car accident, fueling a national debate in the United States on safety risks posed by elderly drivers.

On October 20, 2006, Weller was found guilty of 10 counts of vehicular manslaughter after he drove his car through a crowded open-air marketplace in Santa Monica. The following month, the judge sentenced him to five years' felony probation, saying that Weller deserved to go to prison, but at nearly 90 years of age and suffering from heart disease, he would simply be a burden to taxpayers. He was also ordered to pay about $107,100 in fines and restitution.