Testimony in the trial of a man charged in connection to the death of a young girl killed in a street racing crash in Pleasant Grove wrapped up Wednesday and the jury began deliberations in the case.
Ricky Jackson is charged with racing on a highway and causing serious bodily injury after he crashed his orange Dodge Challenger into a sedan on May 24, 2019.
Olivia Mendez, 9, died on the scene after she was ejected from her family's vehicle. Police said Jackson and two other drivers were racing each other on Lake June Road.
While the defendant, Ricky Jackson, did not testify in court, prosecutors showed a video recording of Jackson being questioned by Dallas detectives on the night of May 24, 2019.
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“I was traveling at an unsafe speed,” Jackson said.
In the video, Jackson told detectives about the interaction he had with the driver of the Dodge Charger at a red light on Masters and Lake June Road.
"He had given me the thumbs up on my car,” Jackson said. “And you know, I nodded back.”
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Detective Kyle Land said it was a significant piece of information as it, “Typically means a race is going to begin or they want to engage in a race.”
Land was one of two detectives interrogating Jackson in 2019.
During the recorded interview, Jackson admitted he was speeding on Lake June Road ahead of the crash.
“I was traveling at an unsafe speed,” Jackson said.
While Jackson continued to allege different speeds that ranged from 45 to 80 miles per hour, Land told the jury exactly how fast Jackson was going.
“It was 107 miles per hour,” Land said.
During the interview, Land tried to determine if the crash was linked to a malfunction.
“Anything mechanical that happened today,” Land asked Jackson.
“Not other than me just speeding,” Jackson said.
Jackson however, insisted he was not racing anyone. The jury later heard about the moment Jackson saw the sedan where 9-year-old Olivia Mendez and her family were traveling.
“I just did not think that that car was gonna turn left in front of me,” Jackson said. “I admit that I was going way too fast. You make a left in front of somebody, and it's your fault, you know.”
Witness testimony wrapped up just before 4:00 p.m. Wednesday after Jackson’s wife, Connie took the stand. She told the jury her husband was remorseful for what occurred that night.
After listening to closing arguments, the jury began deliberations Wednesday afternoon but went home without reaching a verdict in the case. Deliberations continue on Thursday.
