From the time the first Mustang rolled off the factory floor, young teenagers were getting behind the wheel for a “contest of speed” against their buddies. There can be no denying that the American automotive tradition includes a special place for street racing…though that doesn’t make it a good idea. If anything, movies have shown us the severe consequences of street racing over and over and over again…yet people continue to take to the streets and race.

ABC-CAL reports that a terrible tragedy struck the city of Riverside over the weekend, when several teenagers were involved in a terrible street racing accident. The 18-year old driver of a Ford Mustang was fine…but his passenger did not survive the ordeal, proving once again that it is usually innocent bystanders who pay the ultimate price.

18 year-old Jesus Gamez was racing a silver sedan in the wee hours of Sunday morning when Gamez, who was driving a Ford Mustang, lost control of his car at 120 mph. The Mustang hit a utility pole and a parked car before coming to a stop. Gamez was arrested at the scene of the accident.

Unfortunately for his passenger, 18-year old Ruben Terriquez, the ride in the Mustang would prove to be his last. He was killed in the accident. Gamez, who was under the influence of alcohol, was arrested and faces a litany of charges.

This recent incident has sparked calls for a crackdown on street racing. However, with a race of track closures across California, finding a legal outlet for the need to speed has proven a challenge.