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Famed street racer charged with murder after deadly L.A. race

Scene of a street-racing crash in Los Angeles. Photo: AP
Scene of a street-racing crash in Los Angeles. Photo: AP

LOS ANGELES — A street racer and car tuner whose fame stretched from online videos to a cable TV show  has been charged with two counts of murder after a crash stemming from an illcit Los Angeles race.

Israel "Izzy" Valenzuela, 38, also was charged Thursday with engaging in a street race that caused a concussion. Another alleged promoter of the race, 21-year-old Henry Gevorgyan was charged with the same counts on Tuesday. Both men remain jailed on bail of more than $2 million apiece.

Two men were killed and a third was seriously injured during a Feb. 26 race in Chatsworth, Calif., when a souped-up Mustang went out of control and slammed into a crowd on the sidewalk while racing a Nissan GT-R.