Camille Dennis-Bond: Woman gets 15 years after drag race with brother killed young couple
A Minnesota woman who competed in a street race with her 17-year-old brother and in the process, killed a couple, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Camille Dennis-Bond, 21, and Leon Bond, both of whom were driving vehicles with passengers sitting next to them, engaged in a race on an eastbound county road at 10.30 am on April 4, 2021.
Leon was reportedly racing his sister Camille when, according to a witness, he drove "incredibly fast" into an SUV that was turning left from the westbound lane. Driver Dalton Lee Ford and his 22-year-old girlfriend Tayler Nicole Garza were both inside the SUV. The car "basically turned into powder and split in half," the witness continued. Both Garza and Ford were declared dead at the site.
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Why did the siblings race?
Leon Bond's twin sister, who was in the vehicle with him, had five surgeries and spent nearly six weeks in the hospital after suffering critical injuries to much of her body, as reported by The StarTribune. When Leon Bond struck Ford and Garza, the siblings' vehicles were estimated to be traveling at about 100 mph on a 50 mph road, with state police finding they were traveling as fast as 114 mph. If not racing, the siblings were said to have been engaged in a road rage incident. He finally admitted to the police that he and his sister had decided to compete to see who could reach 50 first while they were at a stoplight. Bond claimed he saw the SUV but figured he could escape a collision by cutting through the intersection quickly.
What charges did the siblings face?
Camille Dennis-Bond, who did not strike the pair, was found guilty of two counts of third-degree murder and criminal vehicular homicide in mid-December. She was also charged with illegal vehicular operation and reckless driving. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but will most likely spend only nine and a quarter years due to time served and supervised release. Despite colliding with Ford and Garza, Brother Leon was charged as a juvenile and entered a guilty plea to two charges of third-degree murder in January. The county attorney had opposed the 17-year-old being charged as a juvenile. He will remain in a juvenile institution for an extended period of time and serve probation until the age of 21. He will immediately be given a 25-year prison sentence as an adult if he breaks the terms of his probation.
Who were Dalton Lee Ford and Tayler Nicole Garz?
According to Garza's obituary, Ford considered Garza to be "the love of his life," and together they enjoyed "adventures in camping, hiking, car clubs, and travel." "They also were "foodies," and loved cooking and trying new restaurants and different foods together." The two graduated from the same high school in 2017.
