The April death of three-year-old Anna Garcia in a presumed street racing accident in Tucson has left its mark on the city.
Garcia’s name kept coming up during a Tuesday city council meeting where officials discussed new enforcement strategies and potential legal changes to crack down on street racing.
“I’m sure all of us want to make sure that her death does not go in vain,” Mayor Regina Romero said.
Garcia was killed in a crash at South Country Club Road and East Valencia Road on April 10. Sixteen-year-old Oscar Ramirez and 22-year-old Christian Isaiah Randall have been arrested in connection with the accident and face charges of second degree murder, endangerment and aggravated assault. Both have pleaded not guilty.
A TPD news release said the two suspects were driving two cars at almost 90 miles per hour before the crash. It said excessive speed was the “primary contributing factor” of the collision, but did not mention organized street racing.
Since January, the Tucson Police Department has worked to stop organized street racing events before they happen.
“Our past approach was predominantly reactive, with the primary goal of clearing the roadways and dispersing the crowds. Our newest response, though, is grounded in a robust, intelligence-led framework designed to identify, track and dismantle organized street racing networks,” TPD Chief Monica Prieto told the mayor and city council.
Prieto said officers are scanning crime tips and social media for hints about upcoming street races prior to making busts, such as one on South Kolb Road last month. She said extra traffic deployments are targeting corridors with large amounts of accidents. She also said automated license plate reader cameras are used to investigate street racing.
Prieto said her department has discovered that racing can be “highly organized, with defined roles including event organizers, drivers and spectators.” She said it’s developing cases that could bring “potential criminal syndicate charges.”
Garcia’s father, Emmanuel Garcia, spoke at Tuesday’s meeting during public comment.
“I’m not here today as an expert on law. I’m here as a father who had to bury his child,” Garcia said, visibly fighting back tears.
Garcia encouraged city officials to create stricter punishments for street racing as a way to discourage it.
Earlier that day, during a study session, council members discussed strengthening Tucson’s street racing ordinance to impound participating cars for longer than the current period of 30 days. At least two council members suggested asking voters to allow bringing back red light and speed cameras, which were banned by a 2015 ballot measure.
A search of Tucson Municipal Court records does not reveal charges for Randall and Ramirez under the city’s street racing misdemeanor ordinance.
Tucson Director of Transportation and Mobility Sam Credio also said his department is looking at making lanes narrower on the streets set to be repaved under the RTA Next transportation plan, something he said discourages speeding.
A petition by Garcia’s relative calling for a state law with tougher penalties on street racing — including “automatic felony charges for street racing incidents that result in injury or death” — had over 23,000 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.
According to Emmanuel Garcia, his pregnant wife survived the crash that killed his daughter and soon gave birth to a daughter named Ellianna, something Garcia announced with a “heavy and joyful heart.”
