Florida man in street race kills unsuspecting driver: BSO

A South Florida driver accused of participating in a street race that left another man dead has been charged with vehicular homicide, court documents show.

Allexie Gavaskar Powell, 33, was arrested Tuesday and charged with the death of 56-year-old Richard Schmid, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

In late August, Schmid was behind the wheel of a 1997 Lincoln Town Car headed south on North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. He then made a left at Northeast Sixth Street.

Schmid’s turn put him in the direct path of Powell, who was racing up the northbound side of the highway at 85 mph. The speed limit was 45, according to the complaint affidavit.

Investigators said Powell’s 1987 BMW M3 BMW T-boned the Lincoln’s passenger side, spinning Schmid counter-clockwise across the pavement. Powell’s vehicle struck a concrete barrier at the northeast corner of the intersection while the Lincoln continued sliding for about 120 feet.

Pompano Beach Fire and Rescue transported Schmid and Powell, both of whom were in critical condition, to Broward Health North Medical Center. BSO said they learned that Smith had died as a result of his injuries on Sept. 5.

Security footage from a business near the crash site caught nearly the entire incident, the affidavit said. After obtaining the video, detectives were able to identify Powell was racing against another dark-colored vehicle. It was not clear if the driver of that vehicle has been identified.

In addition to vehicular homicide, Powell faces charges for reckless driving and participating in an unlawful race. Court records show he was released from a Broward County jail following the payment of his the $30,000 bond.

A review of Powell’s driving record shows 13 tickets across Broward and Palm Beach County and nine convictions.

C. Isaiah Smalls II is a reporter covering breaking and trending news for the Miami Herald. Previously, he worked for ESPN’s The Undefeated as part of their inaugural class of Rhoden Fellows. He is a graduate of both Columbia University and Morehouse College.