An airman who was driving a vehicle and allegedly racing with another that crashed and killed a passenger last summer was found guilty of a lesser crime at Vandenberg Air Force Base this month.
Airman 1st Class Derrick Randall Jr. was convicted of reckless driving at the court-martial June 5, but was found not guilty of negligent manslaughter.
He was represented by local civilian attorney Billy Redell in addition to military defense lawyers.
Randall was sentenced to 60 days of confinement, a reduction to the grade of airman basic, forfeiture of $1,200 pay per month for 24 months or $28,800, and a reprimand, Vandenberg officials said.
His court-martial began June 2 and wrapped up late the night of June 5.
The panel was composed of four officers and three enlisted members, according to Vandenberg officials.
Charges against Randall originally included Article 134 or negligent homicide, Article 111 or reckless driving causing no injury, and Article 134 or offenses under the Assimilated Crimes Act, according to the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps docket.
For Redell, the case marked his first time representing a client in a court-martial at Vandenberg.
“It was an overall good experience,” he said. “They were all very courteous and respectful.”
This is one of two courts-martial planned this month at Vandenberg in connection with a July 13, 2014, crash that killed a fellow airman on Highway 1 near Santa Lucia Canyon Road.
Senior Airman Donald Cox was driving with two passengers when the vehicle overturned, killing Nicholas DiBona, 21, of Fuquay-Varina and injuring the second passenger, John C. Rivera, 22, according to the California Highway Patrol. Both Rivera and Cox suffered moderate injuries in the wreck that occurred at 4:22 p.m.
Rivera and DiBona also served in the Air Force.
Investigators determined Cox was involved in a speed contest with Randall, who was driving another vehicle.
The two vehicles did not come into contact with each other, but authorities chose to charge both drivers involved in racing.
The case is similar to another street racing incident in Santa Maria, where a teen driver was charged in connection with the death of the second driver, Breanna Rodriguez, although their vehicles didn’t collide.
The court-martial for Cox is scheduled to begin June 22 at the base. He is charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving with injury and street racing.
The racing occurred on a road with concurrent jurisdiction and civilian prosecutors agreed last year to allow the Air Force to handle prosecution the drivers through the military justice system.
DiBona was a 2011 graduate of Fuquay-Varina High School in North Carolina and served in the Air Force for nearly three years, according to his obituary.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.