LEWISTON – The teenage driver of a car police said was racing on city streets before it slammed into a pole was charged with manslaughter and other felonies.

Kyle Karkos, 18, of Auburn, was driving his Honda Civic on April 5 when it crashed at Canal and Lisbon streets, instantly killing 18-year-old passenger Kenny Jellison. The two had been friends at Edward Little High School.

Police issued a juvenile summons to Karkos on Oct. 31 at Lewiston police station where he was released into the custody of his mother, Kelley Karkos. He is scheduled to appear in District Court on Dec. 18. A petition was filed this week by the Androscoggin County District Attorney formally charging Karkos with the class A felony and two class C felonies: reckless conduct and driving to endanger.

Because Karkos was 17 years old at the time of the accident, he was charged as a juvenile. He turned 18 in October.

Neither Karkos nor his mother could be reached for comment.

Linda Jellison, Kenny’s mother, said her life has “been a living hell” since the accident claimed her son.

Every day is hard, especially around the holidays, she said.

Kenny Jellison would have turned 19 in July, she said. His friends came to the Jellison home to celebrate, along with family. They took a slice of cake to his grave site.

He didn’t live to graduate, something the reluctant student had worked hard to make happen.

The two families have been at odds since the crash. The Karkos family called the Jellison home after the accident. Linda Jellison wasn’t interested in talking. When her family sees Kyle Karkos and his mother, they don’t speak to them, Jellison said. Some people have told her she needs to get over it, to move on.

But she can’t.

“You can’t get over a child’s death,” she said.

“They don’t know what it’s like. They don’t walk in our shoes everyday. …It’s fine and dandy because Kyle’s living. Kelley has her son. She sees her son every single day. She can hug him every day. We can’t. Travis can’t see his brother every day.”

Travis Jellison, Kenny’s younger brother, was in the car that night. He was 15 years old at the time. He said the two cars weren’t racing.

A police report says Karkos admitted racing.

District Attorney Norm Croteau said state police spent months putting together its accident reconstruction report.

Linda Jellison wondered Friday why it took so long to charge Karkos. Her family is meeting with prosecutors on Tuesday.

She doesn’t sleep much these day, she said.

“You close your eyes and all you see is the accident; you see your son laying in the casket,” she said.