Street racer sentenced for accident that killed another driver’s 18-year-old sister

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 12WF1749

Date: April 3, 2015

DRIVER SENTENCED FOR STREET RACING AND CAUSING CRASH THAT KILLED 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL

*Co-defendant in this case is the victim’s brother and was previously sentenced

SANTA ANA – A driver was sentenced today for illegal street racing and causing a crash that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old girl. Joshua Lautherboren, 26, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 11, 2014, of one felony count of engaging in a speed contest causing specified injury and one felony count of hit and run resulting in injury or death. On March 20, 2015, the defendant, a former member of the U.S. Army, was referred to the Veteran’s Court for review on March 27, 2015, but was found unsuitable for sentencing. He was sentenced today to nine months in jail and five years of formal probation.

Co-defendant, Jorel Bagtas Dayoan, 22, Westminster, was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 11, 2014, of one felony count of vehicular manslaughter by an unlawful manner of driving with gross negligence and one felony count of engaging in a speed contest causing specified injury. He was sentenced on Feb. 6, 2015, to one year in jail, five years of formal probation, and ordered to pay over $75,000 in restitution.

At approximately 5:00 p.m. on April 5, 2012, Jorel Dayoan was driving with his 18-year-old sister Jessica Dayoan in the passenger seat, traveling southbound on Hoover Street in Westminster on the way to her biology class at Golden West College. Jorel Dayoan was speeding down a straightaway stretch of Hoover Street in his Toyota MR-2 when he engaged in a street race with Lautherboren who was driving a Dodge truck.

The defendants raced for approximately a quarter of a mile before Lautherboren slowed down his vehicle. Dayoan lost control of his vehicle just south of Hazard Avenue and drifted into oncoming traffic where he crashed into a Honda Accord being driven by John Doe. Orange County Fire Authority responders transported John Doe to the University of California, Irvine Medical Center to be treated for a broken collar bone as a result of the crash. Jessica Dayoan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lautherboren continued to drive south bound on Hoover Street and fled the scene of the accident. Lautherboren was arrested two days later on April 7, 2012, when Westminster Police Department (WPD) officers matched witnesses’ descriptions of Lautherboren’s vehicle.

WPD investigated this case.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.

###

TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718