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Pickup splits in two when accused street racer slams into it, AZ officials say
A street race between two 17-year-olds turned deadly when one of the cars struck a pickup, splitting it in two and killing the 32-year-old driver, Arizona officials said.
Now four years later, the pair are 21 and heading to prison after pleading guilty to charges in connection with the May 2021 wreck in Avondale, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said in a June 9 news release.
Jakari Barksdale and Emanuel Cervantez were each sentenced to seven years behind bars, prosecutors said.
McClatchy News reached out to their attorneys June 9 and was awaiting responses.
The street race was arranged in advance via text and was recorded, prosecutors said.
Barksdale and Cervantez reached speeds of 100-plus mph, according to prosecutors.
They 'were racing side by side when' Barksdale's BMW hit 'a Ford F-150 that was turning through the intersection,' prosecutors said.
'The impact split the truck in two,' instantly killing the 32-year-old man behind the wheel, according to prosecutors. His name wasn't provided.
Cervantez narrowly missed the wreck and fled, prosecutors said.
He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, while Barksdale pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault, prosecutors said.
In the news release, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell called street racing 'a crime with deadly consequences.'
'This wasn't a tragic accident — it was the direct result of reckless choices and a complete disregard for human life,' she said.
Avondale is about a 20-mile drive west from Phoenix.
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