Crime & Safety
Houston DA Files Felony Charges Against Son Of Racing Legend
Ronnie Gray Pace III, the son of Ronnie Pace of Discovery Channel's "Street Outlaws" faces felony charges in a horrific street racing crash.
HOUSTON — The Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday they will seek felony street racing charges against Ronald Gray Pace III, 28, after two people were seriously injured in a March 17 crash.
Pace, who is the son Ronnie "Barefoot" Pace, the star of Discovery Channel’s street racing show "Street Outlaws,” faces two charges of felony street racing causing serious bodily injury after he crashed into a crowd of onlookers during an illegal street race.
The illegal street race happened at a time when race enthusiasts were gathered in the region for the legally sanctioned TX2K auto racing event in Baytown.
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The race is a legal event hosted each spring, which also draws many interested in illegal street racing, Harris County Sheriff’ Ed Gonzalez said.
On March 17, spectators lined up along Houston Oaks Road near the Sam Houston Raceway to watch a street race between Pace and another driver.
During the race, Pace ran off the road and plowed into a group of onlookers. Two men were seriously injured.
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“Illegal street racers will be held accountable for their crimes in Harris County,” Gonzalez said.
Between March 15 - 17, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Regional Traffic Enforcement Unit deputies made more than 300 traffic stops, resulting in 35 arrests and 281 citations issued related to street racing.
Capt. Quincy Whitaker said the sheriff’s office is serious about combating illegal street racing, and that efforts will continue with new initiatives each month.
Sean Teare, chief of the vehicular crimes division for the Harris County DA’s office, said investigators did solid work on building the case against Pace.
“In this case specifically; we have video, we have pictures. These injuries are horrific,” Teare said. “This car is specifically designed for racing. It has no business being on our roads.”
The car, which has significant damage as a result of the crash, is in the custody of the sheriff’s office and it will be “destroyed in a very public fashion” when the case is concluded, Teare said.
“No one gets in this car and goes to the store. It’s designed for one thing,” he said.
The charges against Pace are second degree felonies with a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
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