117 MPH Ends With Two Murder Charges

Prosecutors say a driver hit 117 mph before a Victorville crash that killed two teen girls, and he now faces two murder counts.

Story Highlights

District attorney charges Apple Valley man with two counts of murder tied to a deadly August 14 crash.
Officials say the driver reached 117 mph before impact and then ran from the scene, leaving a child behind.
California Highway Patrol is probing whether a yellow Camaro and black Charger were street racing.
Suspect later surrendered and is in custody; charges also include child cruelty and speed contest.

Murder Charges Filed After Deadly High-Speed Crash

San Bernardino County prosecutors charged Terry Lamar Easter, 50, of Apple Valley, with two counts of murder after a violent August 14 crash in Victorville killed two teenage girls. The District Attorney’s Office said Easter drove at speeds reaching 117 miles per hour before his car hit the teens’ Acura, splitting it apart and causing a fire. The office also charged him with child cruelty and engaging in a motor vehicle speed contest, underscoring the severe danger posed that night.

California Highway Patrol investigators said a yellow Chevrolet Camaro and a black Dodge Charger were seen speeding north on Ridgecrest Road before the crash at Elmwood Drive. A spokesperson said investigators are reviewing evidence to determine if the drivers were street racing under state law. Early reports described one vehicle sheared in half and cars engulfed in flames, details that match a high-speed impact and the chaos that followed for first responders.

Flight From Scene And Arrest Details

Authorities said Easter ran from the scene after the crash, even leaving behind his young child in his vehicle. The search for him stretched for days as officials worked the case and the community mourned the teens. He later turned himself in and was booked into custody. Separate reports note that another involved driver was arrested soon after the collision, as the probe focused on speed and potential racing behavior that Saturday night.

The names of the two victims were reported by local outlets as high school seniors who were best friends, and tributes poured in from classmates and families. Coverage described Ridgecrest Road as a known danger zone, with residents calling for stronger enforcement and safer design. The heartbreak in the community has been intense, with families demanding accountability and swift justice in court for the deadly decisions behind the wheel.

What The Law Says About Speed, Racing, And Murder

California law allows prosecutors to pursue more than vehicular manslaughter when a driver shows implied malice. Courts have upheld second-degree murder charges in extreme driving cases when a person knows the risk to life and chooses to ignore it. That legal path, often called the Watson rule, explains why prosecutors escalated charges here. It reflects a belief that racing or extreme speed on public roads can show a conscious disregard for human life.

The San Bernardino County DA’s Office has charged Terry Lamar Easter, 50, of Apple Valley, with two counts of murder after an alleged street-racing crash in Victorville killed two teenage best friends, ages 16 and 17.

Easter allegedly reached 117 mph, had his 8-year-old child in… pic.twitter.com/c0MnPKt6S5

— San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office (@sbcountyda) August 28, 2026

Street-racing crashes often happen on city roads and at very high speeds. A study found such crashes are far more likely to occur at speeds of at least 65 miles per hour than other fatal wrecks. That base-rate pattern helps explain why investigators move fast to secure evidence, witnesses, and event data recorders. Prosecutors then decide whether to file counts like vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence or, in the most extreme cases, murder based on implied malice.

Why This Matters To Public Safety And Rule Of Law

Law-abiding families deserve safe streets and firm justice when reckless drivers turn roads into racetracks. This case shows why strict enforcement, swift charges, and real penalties protect innocent lives. When officers and prosecutors treat 100-plus mile-per-hour racing as a serious crime, not a thrill, they send a message that deters chaos on our roads. That defense of life, order, and personal responsibility is central to community safety and to equal justice under the law.