A Los Angles County man who fatally struck a spectator during an illegal street race in Otay Mesa last year was sentenced Tuesday to one year in county jail and two years of probation.
Jason Clifford Dennell, 29, of Littlerock, pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter and speed contest in the death of 32-year-old Quarann Lottie of Compton on Oct. 31, 2021.
Police said Lottie was standing in a commercial driveway filming the race at the finish line on Kerns Street when a Ford Mustang driven by Dennell veered off the roadway and hit him about 6 a.m. Lottie died at the scene.
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Dennell stopped his car and was arrested at the crash site, while the driver he was racing sped off, SDPD Sgt. Victoria Houseman said.
On Tuesday, Dennell was also sentenced by Superior Court Judge Michael J. Popkins to a four-year prison term, which was suspended pending the successful completion of probation. The suspended sentence means Dennell will serve the four years in prison if he violates his probation terms.
At the sentencing, the District Attorney's office argued Dennell should be sentenced to state prison instead.
Prior to being sentenced, Dennell described the victim in court as his friend and said he has sworn to never race again as a result of Lottie's death.
"I never realized how dangerous this hobby can be," Dennell said in a statement to the judge.
His defense attorney, Samantha Greene, said her client has since attempted to warn others about the dangers of illegal street racing and offered to give up his car to law enforcement for use in public outreach efforts to deter others from participating in such races.
