San Jose woman slain by street racers

San Jose woman slain by street racers

Street racing is an activity that has been on the rise in parts of California.

The family of Kiran Pabla are in shock after the 24-year-old woman was killed by street racers last Monday while jogging in San Jose, California. Investigators say two men, aged 18 and 23, were traveling in excess of 70 mph when they both crashed simultaneously on Yerba Buena road, pinning Pabla to a tree next to the sidewalk. She died almost instantly, less than a mile from her home in San Jose. According to the police, the two men had not known each other before engaging in their deadly street race.

There has been some debate about the culpability of one of the men, whose car did not directly strike Kiran Pabla. However, Deputy District Attorney My Phuong Truong has deemed that they are both responsible as their joint behavior lead to the death of a young woman.

Emotions were on display during an initial court hearing for one of the defendants accused of vehicular manslaughter. A large group of Pabla’s family members were in attendance, with several being ushered from the courtroom after angry outbursts directed toward the accused.

A vigil was held by family members on Wednesday as mourners tried to make sense of the sudden tragedy. Funeral services took place Friday evening. Religious leaders emphasized that even people who did not know the deceased need to heal because incidents like this are devastating to entire communities.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo plans to survey the crash site in addition to speaking with police officials about combatting illegal street racing.

Yerba Buena road has a reputation for street racing, and a handful of vehicular fatalities have been reported in the South Bay in recent years. Street racing is an activity that has been on the rise in parts of California, leaving officials divided on how exactly to address the problem. Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has controversially suggested that a legalized track made available to racers might keep them off the street and out of residential areas. Critics argue that a sanctioned area would be unappealing to the subversive culture of youths who frequent street races.

In San Jose, a sense of outrage lingers within the community over Kiran Pabla’s tragic death. Speaking after court proceedings, her uncle Samir Mohan stressed that he wanted to make sure “justice is done for the murder committed.” He solemnly added that his niece’s fate was “no way for a child to die.” On Saturday, a permanent speed radar was installed leading up to where the accident occurred. Police have been increasing the number of tickets issued on Yerba Buena road since Monday. Residents hope these measures might deter future speeders, although Yerba Buena remains a fast paced stretch of road leading to a downhill slope.

Kiran Pabla was attending Cal State East Bay University in Hayward, California. She was a business major and was well regarded by her friends and classmates. Relatives described her as the charismatic star of their family, with one member at her vigil proclaiming that “Speed kills. When you kill somebody, you kill a lot of people’s hearts.”

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