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A man accused of driving a vehicle that crashed during a February street race in Chatsworth, killing two people, pleaded no contest on Tuesday, according to the DA.

LAPD investigators survey skid marks at the scene where two pedestrians were killed by an out-of-control Ford Mustang possibly involved in street racing in Chatsworth. (Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
LAPD investigators survey skid marks at the scene where two pedestrians were killed by an out-of-control Ford Mustang possibly involved in street racing in Chatsworth. (Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Karen Gary Balyan, 43, pleaded no contest to two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, one misdemeanor count of assault with a deadly weapon, and admitted to fleeing the scene, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office stated.

Balyan faces a sentence of 12 years in state prison.

One of two other defendants in the case, Irael Valenzuela, who was accused of racing Balyan when the incident occurred, also entered a no contest plea to two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

The 39-year-old faces 180 days in jail and five years probation.

Balyan was allegedly driving a vehicle owned by Henry Gevorgyan, the third defendant, at the time.

Henry Gevorgyan is shown in a photo posted to his Facebook page in January 2015.
Henry Gevorgyan is shown in a photo posted to his Facebook page in January 2015.

Gevorgyan, 22, was scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Thursday.

The three men faced charges after a Feb. 26 street race on Plummer Street near Canoga Avenue.

Within seconds of the race, Balyan lost control of the vehicle and crashed into three people, prosecutors said.

Eric Siguenza, 26, and Wilson Thomas Wong, 50, were killed upon impact, and a third person was injured but survived.

Balyan and Valenzuela were scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 4, in Department E of the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s San Fernando branch.