Crash Suspect's Mom Wanted Son Jailed a Month Ago

Mother raised both men accused in sidewalk crash that killed four

By TERESA MASTERSON

Updated 7:14 AM EDT, Fri, Jun 12, 2009

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The mother of one of the teens suspected of hitting and killing a young mother and three children Wednesday says she tried to send her son back to jail a month ago.

Vanessa Cradock told NBC 10 that she called her son’s probation officer more than a month ago to take her son and put him back in a juvenile facility.

But, no one would come to get him, she said.

Cradock said her son, 18-year-old Dante has been in and out of juvenile facilities since he was 13 years old. He has a record for armed robbery and has stolen cars.

His parents said he came home from a Pittsburgh facility around Easter time for a visit, but refused to go back.

Cradock said she also raised Ivan Rodriguez, 20, the other suspect involved in the events leading up to the car crash. Rodriguez is her stepson.

Both are charged with four counts of murder, robbery, conspiracy and related offenses.

The two stepbrothers allegedly held a man at gunpoint Wednesday night on the 5400 block of Rising Sun and stole his motorcycle, according to police.

Rodriguez allegedly took off on the bike and Cradock drove off in a silver Pontiac.

A traffic officer followed the car, without lights, south on the Boulevard and tried to pull Cradock over, police said.

But Cradock sped off down Third Street to where he crashed into the crowd killing the three young children and mother.

Police insist there was never a high-speed chase and that the officer lost the car at one point and didn’t see the accident.

Rodriguez was arrested at his home with three weapons and has five prior arrests. A 357-magnum revolver was recovered from Cradock’s car. He has been arrested eight times before.