(KRON) — A South San Francisco woman appeared in a San Mateo County courtroom on Tuesday to face felony street racing and vehicular manslaughter charges. Valerie Nicole Garciarossi, 21, is charged in connection to a deadly crash that killed her 15-year-old passenger in 2022.
According to prosecutors, the 15-year-old victim urged Garciarossi to slow down moments before the driver crashed her car into a retaining wall and spun into a tree on March 8, 2022. The 15-year-old girl died at the crash scene.
Prosecutors said, leading up to the crash, Garciarossi was driving on Hillside Boulevard in South San Francisco with her 18-year-old best friend in the front seat, and the best friend’s 15-year-old sister in the backseat. When the group reached an intersection, a white sports car revved its engine and accelerated away.
“(Garciarossi) decided to pursue the sports car and accelerated to 60-70 mph in a 40 mph zone. Her two passengers yelled at her to slow down, but defendant kept speeding. She lost control of her car and hit a retaining wall,” the District Attorney’s Office wrote.