St. Tammany grand jury decides not to indict woman on negligent homicide in crash that killed officer

April 18-- Apr. 18--North shore church founder Jennifer Robinson, a driver in a crash that killed an off-duty New Orleans police officer last summer, was indicted by a St. Tammany Parish grand jury Wednesday on three traffic violations, all misdemeanors, but not on negligent homicide, a felony.

The grand jury decided that the evidence presented did not support a negligent homicide charge, according to Lisa Page, spokeswoman for 22nd Judicial District Attorney Warren Montgomery.

Robinson, 53, was turning left into a private driveway from the northbound lane of La. 1082, known as Old Military Road, on the evening of Aug. 25 when Ricardo Silva Jr., traveling southbound on his motorcycle, hit her SUV.

Silva, 26, was ejected and died later of his injuries. Robinson was not injured.

Investigators at the time cited Robinson for improper turning and not wearing a seat belt. She was indicted Wednesday for careless operation of a vehicle, making an improper turn and not wearing a seat belt.

There was no indication that either Robinson or Silva was impaired, according to reports at the time.

Silva's parents filed a wrongful death suit in December naming Robinson as a defendant as well as Church of the King and insurance companies for Robinson and the church.

Robinson was co-founder of the large church near Mandeville and is married to its pastor, Steve Robinson. The church owned the car she was driving, and the lawsuit claims she was "on an errand and mission" for the church when the crash took place.

Silva was a recent graduate of the New Orleans police academy who was just months away from marrying his fiancee. The two lived in Bush.

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