Opening statements presented in alleged race that ended in death of Bakersfield grandmother
Feb. 21—Ronald Pierce Jr. climbed into a red Ford Mustang one November evening in 2019 imitating a car vrooming down a racetrack as he blared country music.
Then, prosecutors said Tuesday in Kern County Superior Court, Pierce and another Bakersfield man, Israel Maldonado, participated in a street race in which police said Pierce sped more than 100 mph with a blood alcohol level of 0.24 percent. In the end, a Bakersfield grandmother died in a collision near Old River Road and Ming Avenue, outside The Marketplace shopping center.
Maria Blaney Navarro's death and the injuries of her two grandchildren, who suffered great bodily harm, prompted the Bakersfield Police Department to announce special enforcement measures to address street racing. Complaints of street racing built up prior to Navarro dying but crested after her death in southwest Bakersfield.
Both men are charged with second-degree murder. Pierce has pleaded not guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence resulting in bodily injury and driving with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.08 percent. Maldonado has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and two counts of reckless driving.
Deputy District Attorney Cole McKnight said a "compelling and disturbing video" of Pierce's own dashboard camera shows him crashing into Navarro's car while driving north and spinning in multiple circles. Another video from a red light camera shows Navarro flying over the intersection and crashing into a crane truck going south. McKnight also displayed photos of Navarro dead in her car, slumped over, and her car's engine completely mangled.
McKnight asserted Pierce and Maldonado began revving their cars prior to racing and then shot off north on Old River Road. The video showed smoke rising from spinning wheels on Maldonado's black Dodge Ram truck — which McKnight said was the start of the speed race — before both cars peeled away.
Pierce's Mustang was forced to crash into Navarro's car, defendant's attorney David Torres said during his opening statement. He said Maldonado bumped into Pierce as the two drove side by side.
Data documenting vehicle movement showed Pierce attempted to veer away from Navarro but was unsuccessful because Maldonado hit him, Torres said. That's why Torres asked jurors to acquit Pierce of second-degree murder and instead find him guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
Torres plans to call experts to testify about damage suffered to Pierce's Mustang and the makeup of the car's fender to show it does not easily damage.
There are different sides to a story, defense lawyer Tony V. Lidgett said as he flashed a picture of Maldonado's family with his longtime girlfriend and another picture of him serving in the U.S. Army. Lidgett contends Maldonado never hit Pierce because there's no damage, dents or paint transfer on the red Mustang.
Lidgett added he plans to call several witnesses testifying to Maldonado's character to rebut prosecutors' attempt to paint Maldonado as a "callous" man because he left the scene instead of cooperating with police. Several eyewitness statements also suggest inconsistencies in what they saw, he added.
Maldonado called 911 to report the crash, Lidgett said. He said his client left the scene because he didn't want his longtime girlfriend to see what was happening because they had an entire day planned prior to the crash.
Maldonado and his girlfriend went to their planned dinner date, Bocados, for sushi, which Lidgett said was a somber affair and no one spoke. The couple then went to Target for holiday shopping and to find out if Maldonado's girlfriend is pregnant.
Turns out she was, Lidgett said. She has since given birth to a boy.
He's seeking a complete acquittal for all charges.
McKnight called his first witness from the Bakersfield Police Department on Tuesday. The trial is expected to last for weeks.
Ishani Desai can be reached at 661-395-7417. Follow her on Twitter: @_ishanidesai.
