Los Angeles

Man Charged With Murder in Fatal Street Race

A 21-year-old was arrested in connection with the Thursday morning crash

A 21-year-old man faces murder and other charges in connection with an illegal street race that led to a crash that killed two people and left another injured last Thursday.

Henry Michael Gevorgyan pleaded not guilty in connection with the deaths of Eric Siguenza, 26, of Los Angeles, and Wilson Thomas Wong, 50, of Torrance.

The race happened on a stretch of road popular among street racers in Chatsworth Feb. 25 when Gevorgyan's Mustang went out of control, hopped a curb and struck a crowd of spectators.

The Mustang was one of two cars racing west on Plummer Street when the vehicle crashed into the victims, who were among an estimated 60 people watching the cars race, police said.

Authorities allege Gevorgyan was behind the wheel of the Mustang, which had been modified for illegal racing and which was abandoned at the scene. He surrendered to police on Saturday night, police said.

Gevorgyan's attorney, Kate Hardie, said outside court on Tuesday that her client was not behind the wheel of the car during the street race.

She said she didn't know who was behind the wheel and advised her client not to talk. Hardie said cellphone video shows her client standing on the street between the two vehicles at the starting line.

"Charging him with murder for just being there is a stretch," she said.

Gordon Tokumatsu contributed to this report.

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