2nd man pleads not guilty in street-racing fatality
A Kern County Superior Court judge on Friday declined to increase bail to $1 million for a second man charged with murder and other crimes in a fatal street-racing crash in November, during which the prosecutor said Israel Maldonado’s vehicle hit a top speed of 106 mph while the other driver hit 133 mph in a race that lasted three-quarters of mile.
However, the judge did order Maldonado, 34, to surrender his license and stay away from establishments that serve alcohol.
Maldonado pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter and three misdemeanors at his arraignment before Judge Rick Brown on Friday. He is free on $250,000 bail, which Maldonado posted at the time of his arrest.
Maldonado was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck when he allegedly began racing a Ford Mustang driven by Ronald Pierce Jr. on Old River Road in southwest Bakersfield on Nov. 24, according to police reports.
Pierce struck a minivan, police said, sending it into the path of an oncoming crane truck, killing the driver, Maria Blaney Navarro, 58, of Bakersfield, and seriously injuring her two grandchildren.
Prosecutor Robert Murray acknowledged Maldonado was not intoxicated during the street race, as it is alleged Pierce was, and Maldonado did call 911 after the crash.
But video appeared to show Maldonado was the one who instigated the race, Murray said, and he also left the scene before police arrived.
Pierce, who faces the same charges as Maldonado plus DUI, remains in custody on $1 million bail and has pleaded not guilty.
Maldonado is not a flight risk, his defense attorney, Tony Lidgett, told the judge in arguing to keep bail from increasing, adding the 34-year-old is a veteran and father of three with a fourth child on the way.
Pierce and Maldonado are due back in court Monday.