Fatal Street-Racing Crash Leads to Seven-Year Prison Sentences for Two Arizona Teens
Two individuals, Jakari Barksdale and Emanuel Cervantez, have been sentenced to seven years in prison for their involvement in a fatal street-racing crash that occurred in May 2021 near Avondale Boulevard and Broadway Road in Avondale, Arizona. Both Barksdale and Cervantez, who were 17 years old at the time of the incident, were driving at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour when Barksdale's BMW collided with a pickup truck, resulting in the death of the driver of the truck. The crash was pre-arranged via text message and captured on video by bystanders, showing Barksdale and Cervantez racing side by side before the collision occurred. Cervantez fled the scene after narrowly avoiding the crash. Barksdale pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault, while Cervantez pleaded guilty to manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell emphasized that street racing is a serious crime with deadly consequences, not a mere game. The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with reckless driving behaviors like street racing.