TAMPA, Fla. _ A black Mustang that fatally struck a young mother and her toddler daughter as they crossed a street last week hit 102 mph, then braked hard before impact, according to an arrest warrant filed in Hillsborough County Court last week and obtained today by the Tampa Bay Times.
The warrant is the first publicly released document to include the estimated speed of the car that police say hit and killed Jessica Raubenolt, 24, and her 21-month-old daughter, Lillia, just before noon May 23 as they legally crossed Bayshore Boulevard.
Witnesses have told police they saw teen drivers in the Mustang and in a gold Nissan Altima racing down Bayshore, weaving through traffic. They watched in horror as the Mustang hit Raubenolt, sending her and Lillia's stroller flying.
Police arrested Cameron Herrin, 18, whom they named as the driver of the Mustang, and his brother Tristan, 20, his passenger. They also arrested John Barrineau, 17, who they said was behind the wheel of the Altima.
Witness Stephanie Kay Ives told police that she was driving north on Bayshore at about 40 mph when the cars sped past her, with the Nissan leading at that point.
"When asked if the vehicle appeared to be racing, she stated to the effect that if not racing, they were certainly in a speed contest," the warrant states.
Another witness, Rob Brooklyn, said he estimated that the Mustang and Nissan sped past him at about 60 mph, then rapidly accelerated. He said he heard the Mustang's exhaust roar as the cars drove north. The Mustang was in front when, Brooklyn said, he saw Raubenolt's body thrown into the air.
"He stated that he was 100 percent certain the two vehicles were racing," the warrant says.
Now, electronic evidence taken from the Mustang during a police search shows that the car hit 102 mph before Cameron Herrin braked, according to the warrant.
The young men stayed at the scene after the crash and were taken into custody there.
Cameron Herrin and Barrineau each face two counts of vehicular homicide and street racing. Tristan Herrin faces a misdemeanor charge of racing.
Reached Thursday, John Fitzgibbons, Cameron Herrin's attorney, declined to comment on the speed report.
