Man convicted in fatal Ormond Beach street race sentenced to 15 years in prison
A South Daytona Beach man, who was driving at speeds up to 114 mph in a street race when he crashed into another car and killed a woman, was sentenced to 15 years in state prison, according to a press release from the State Attorney’s Office.
Erik Worthington, 27, was found guilty of vehicular homicide by a jury in December. Circuit Judge Leah Case presided over the sentencing on Wednesday. Worthington received 114 days' credit for time served.
The crash happened about 3:12 p.m. on June 4, 2019, and fatally injured Mary Spanos, 73, of Ormond Beach.
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Worthington was racing a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro against a Subaru north on Nova Road, according to Ormond Beach Police.
Police stated a dash camera video on another vehicle showed Spanos pulling out from a stop sign at Shadow Lakes Boulevard to turn left and head south on Nova Road in Ormond Beach.
The Camaro and the Subaru both swerved to avoid Spanos’ Cadillac SUV. The Subaru avoided the Cadillac, but Worthington’s Camaro struck the left front corner of the SUV, causing it to spin and roll onto its roof, police said.
Spanos died about seven hours later at Halifax Health Medical Center from injuries suffered in the crash, investigators said.
Charges dismissed against Subaru's driver
Authorities identified the Subaru driver as Anthony Panos, 30, of Holly Hill. Panos was charged with leaving the scene of a crash with death, vehicular homicide and racing on a highway.
Panos' defense attorney, Eric Neitzke, argued that the charges against him should be dismissed in part because Panos' vehicle was not involved in the crash.
Circuit Judge Dennis Craig subsequently granted Neitzke's motion in 2020 and dismissed the charges, ruling that Panos was not involved in the crash or the cause of the crash. In dismissing the racing charge later, Craig wrote that no assertions were substantiated about revving the engines. Craig also wrote that an arm motion by the defendant without an indicating gesture was not sufficient evidence of a race.
The State Attorney's Office appealed to the 5th District Court of Appeal, which in 2021 affirmed Craig's ruling.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida man convicted in fatal street race gets 15 years in prison
