Local News

Two men will face charges after their involvement in a Thursday night street race led to the death of a Fremont woman, according to San Jose police.

Manual Pourmand, 21, and Joseph Inocencio, 18, both of San Jose, were arrested and booked into jail on charges of vehicular manslaughter and participating in a speed contest, according to Sgt. Ronnie Lopez.

According to police, the two men were speeding east on Branham Lane at 9:45 p.m. when they both lost control of their cars, a 2004 Nissan and a black 1997 BMW, near Prince Royal Place. One of the cars struck a silver Volkswagen. The driver, 20-year-old Alyson Snow of Fremont, was critically injured and died later at a nearby hospital. Her passenger sustained minor injuries, as did Pourmand and Inocencio.

The two drivers did not know each other, Lopez said. This is the second death this month police have attributed to street races. On Oct. 8, a 23-year-old San Jose man was killed when he lost control of his car and hit a tree while racing a friend down a hill on Silver Creek Valley Road.

No charges have been filed against the other driver in that incident. The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office sent the case back to police for further investigation, according to district attorney spokeswoman Amy Cornell.

San Jose police have special details set up to patrol "hot areas where we have problems with racing," Lopez said.

"The issue, unfortunately, is that these locations are moving targets," Lopez said.

The department has received various state grants to give officers special training on the issue, Lopez said. Since 1995, nearly 500 San Jose police officers have received training on dealing with street races.

Police are also reaching out to community members reminding people "it's a very dangerous act and an unlawful act," he said. Police are asking parents to be watchful if their son or daughter starts purchasing racing equipment for their cars and staying out late at uncertain whereabouts.

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