A Portland man involved in a deadly street racing crash in August 2022 which claimed the life of a young mother waiting at a bus stop has been sentenced to three years in prison. Jonathan Peña, the driver who lost control during the illegal race, pleaded guilty to the charges, resulting in his sentencing on Friday, KGW reported.

The accident occurred at Southeast Stark Street and 133rd Avenue, where Peña was racing another car at over 80 miles per hour when he collided with the second car, then Ashlee McGill, 26, was fatally struck. Peña's sentence also includes three years of post-release supervision, five years probation, and restitution. Another driver, Kenneth Freeman, involved in the incident was previously sentenced to five years in prison, according to a KOIN report.

McGill's family remembered her as a loving mother known for her sense of adventure and constant smile, McGill was hailed by police as an innocent bystander, who had no involvement with the street racing event that ultimately led to her death.

The convictions and sentences come in the wake of Oregon Senate Bill 615, which was passed in 2023. This law empowers the justice system to impose stronger penalties on street racing, with up to one year in prison and a $6,250 fine for first-time offenders, for repeat offenders within a five-year span, those penalties can escalate to a maximum of five years in prison and a $125,000 fine. This legislative amendment reflects the state's clampdown on the illegal and often dangerous act of street racing, posing threats to community safety.