Street racer sentenced to 4 years in prison

By Tony Gonzalez

Published: November 20, 2008

A judge followed a jury’s recommendation Thursday, sentencing a Staunton man to four years in prison for a street race that killed an 18-year-old friend in October.

“There are no winners in this case,” Judge Victor V. Ludwig said, adding that disagreement over the severity of the sentence for Cory N. Beasley, 24, was unavoidable.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Robin Boylan sought an 18-year sentence for Beasley – one for each year of the victim’s life, he said – during trial in August.

A jury deliberated more than four hours before convicting Beasley of participating in a race “in a manner so gross, wanton and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life.” The Oct. 23 race killed Brittany Engleman. She was ejected from Beasley’s 2006 Chevy Cobalt Supersport, which flipped several times on the gravelly surface of Va. 42 near Buffalo Gap High School.

Two other men were charged in the crash. A jury on Aug. 18 found Robert Gaylor Jr., 22, of Swoope., not guilty of aiding and abetting Engleman’s death. Torrance Mack, 23, entered an Alford plea in October that acknowledged evidence against him was strong enough to convict while not admitting guilt for his role in the race.

According to previous testimony, Beasley, Mack and Gaylor had been hanging out with friends late Oct. 22 and early the next morning. Bored, Beasley suggested going for a ride, and the three drove separate cars, taking turns passing one another. Beasley and Gaylor denied there was a race, but a witness riding with Mack testified to the contrary, saying Mack reached speeds of about 100 mph. Beasley’s car, according to the Virginia State Police, reached 5,760 rpm just five seconds before the crash.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Boylan requested that Beasley’s driver’s license be suspended for three years upon his release from prison, but Ludwig declined, saying he did not want to hinder Beasley from resuming his life.

Asked by defense attorney Thomas McPherson what he plans to do upon release, Beasley answered, “Get a job and try to start my life over.” He had been employed for five years before the crash.

Ludwig said there was no sentencing guideline to be followed, with penalties ranging from a mandatory minimum of one year in prison to a maximum of 20 years.

Mack will be sentenced in January.