LOS ANGELES—Two men pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a road-rage crash that killed a 5-year-old boy and critically injured his mother and infant sister.

Brian Barnes, 44, [aka Brian Surewood] and Armando Ayon, 19, entered their pleas in Superior Court in Van Nuys.

Each faces one count of murder and vehicular manslaughter and three counts of reckless driving causing specified injury. Barnes also was charged with three counts of leaving the scene of an accident.

Barnes’ attorney, Jonathan Kissel, called the situation “extremely tragic.”

“A rush to judgment as to the culpability of Mr. Barnes would be improper in this case,” he said.

Ayon’s attorney, Howard R. Levine, said the defense was conducting its own investigation, adding the police reports contained errors involving the distances and positions of the cars.

Police said the two men were driving Oct. 9 in the San Fernando Valley when they got into a dispute. Their cars weaved along city streets between speeds of 50 mph to 90 mph, and they tried cutting each other off, authorities said.

After Barnes slammed on his brakes, Ayon tried to avoid the vehicle and plowed into the back of a parked car, police said. The parked car slammed into another vehicle, crushing the boy, Ayman Arif, his sister, Ikra Arif, and his 31-year-old mother, Syeda Arif.

All three were taken to a hospital, where Ayman was taken off life support and died. His mother and sister suffered critical injuries.
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Barnes and Ayon were jailed on $1 million bail each.