Man found not guilty for role in street race

Following an all-day trial, a 12-member jury deliberated for 15 minutes Monday before finding a Staunton man not guilty of being a principal in the second degree in a road-racing accident that killed an Augusta County teenager.
Robert Gaylor Jr., 22, of Staunton, was one of three men charged in the case, along with Cory Beasley, 22, and Torrance Mack, 21, for the accident that killed 18-year-old Brittany Engleman in the early morning of Oct. 23. Beasley faces a jury trial Aug. 26, while Mack’s trial is set for Dec. 10. Engleman was riding with Beasley at the time of the accident.
Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Robin Boylan, in his closing argument, said the three men were acting “in concert with one another.”
“You have … evidence that is more than sufficient to find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Rob Gaylor aided and abetted in the death of Brittany Engleman,” Boylan said.
Public Defender Frankie Coyner, representing Gaylor, argued in his closing that the defendant “wasn’t there when whatever happened happened. He just wasn’t there.” Coyner also argued that there was no evidence of speeding in the accident, and that Gaylor had no knowledge of what Mack and Beasley were doing.
Testifying in his defense, Gaylor said he had planned to get a tattoo on the night of the accident, but said Beasley suggested going to Wal-Mart, and then later for a ride. That ride took them from West Beverley Street toward Route 254 and then onto Route 42 toward Buffalo Gap High School.
Gaylor said he was driving “in the vicinity of 60” mph in his Acura Integra when he turned from Route 254 onto Route 42. He said while driving on the road, which contained loose gravel, he slowed down to 35 mph because he said he felt a loss of traction if he went any faster.
Gaylor testified that neither he, nor the person riding with him, Tim Bryson, had been drinking. Both testified that they did not see the loose gravel sign posted by the Virginia Department of Transportation on Route 42 heading toward Buffalo Gap High School.
Gaylor and Bryson pulled into the parking lot at the school, according to the testimony, and then Mack approached to let the two know about the accident just after 4 a.m.
Lindsay Cash, riding in Mack’s car at the time, testified that Gaylor and Beasley were racing. However, under questioning from Coyner, Gaylor speculated that she saw him pass Beasley’s car and came to that conclusion on the basis of the pass.
Gaylor said he was unsure what had happened after he passed Beasley’s car.
Learning of the crash from Mack, Gaylor said he returned to the scene of the accident – “I just noticed the car turned upside down,” Gaylor said.
Virginia State Trooper Clifford Thomas testified that Mack’s car had reached 5,760 rpm, and was at 100-percent throttle five seconds before the accident. At one second prior to the accident, Mack’s car was at 3,776 rpm at 23-percent throttle.
Churchville Fire and Rescue Chief Sandy Reed testified that when she came onto the scene of the accident, she found Engleman and said one of the men there asked if she could help her. Reed told the person that “it’s too late. … She’s deceased.”