Street Racing Tragedy: 25-Year-Old Found Guilty of Causing Deaths in Redwood City
The man accused of killing a couple while street racing in Redwood City two years ago pleaded not guilty earlier this week and faces a potential prison sentence of up to nine years.
The tragic incident occurred on November 4, 2022, on El Camino Real when two racing cars collided with a third vehicle, a Chevrolet Bolt driven by Grace Spiridon. She was accompanied by her husband, Gregory Ammen, and their twin seven-year-old daughters. Sadly, both Spiridon and Ammen died at the scene, while the twins miraculously survived.
According to reports, the race involved Kyle Harrison, 25, of Redwood City, who was driving a BMW alongside 17-year-old Cesar Morales, who was behind the wheel of a Mercedes. Prosecutors allege that the two drivers revved their engines and, upon the traffic light turning green, chose to race each other at speeds of 80 to 90 miles per hour. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen who the prosecution will hold responsible for initiating the race when Morales goes to trial.
Witnesses described the impact of the crash, stating that the Bolt was “crushed and launched into the air.” Following the accident, Harrison allegedly fled the scene but was later identified through his license plate number, which a witness had recorded.
Harrison has been charged with felony vehicular manslaughter and participating in a street race that resulted in fatalities. His sentencing is scheduled for December 2, with a maximum sentence of nine years and four months in prison.
Morales’s case, initially in juvenile court, has been transferred to adult court. However, Judge Susan Irene Etezadi of the San Mateo County Superior Court denied the prosecutors’ request to move Morales’s case to adult court, as he is now 19 years old.
A lawyer representing the victims commented, “This case is the result of a brutal disregard for human life,” highlighting the dangers posed by street racing in the Bay Area.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the twin girls, Madison and Olivia, have been left without their parents. A GoFundMe campaign set up to support them has raised nearly $600,000 and is no longer accepting donations.
