Trial set for man charged in January street racing death

A trial date has been set for a man charged in the death of a fellow driver during a drag race in downtown Wichita in January.

Dacosta A. Yankey is scheduled to appear before a Sedgwick County jury Oct. 20 on one count of involuntary manslaughter, according to Sedgwick County District Court records. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing this week before district Judge Joe Kisner, records show.

Yankey is facing the manslaughter charge in the Jan. 12 traffic death of Jorge Espinosa-Velez. The men, police have said, started a spontaneous street race down Douglas Avenue that afternoon and within moments Espinosa-Velez lost control of his black convertible. The car slammed into a decorative stone pillar at Douglas and Market, killing the 26-year-old on impact.

Yankey, police have said, returned to the scene to try to render aid. The men reportedly knew one another.

This story was originally published August 15, 2014 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Trial set for man charged in January street racing death."