Jaicarious Grace arrived Monday at an Orange County courtroom in a jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, expecting a judge to hand him a long prison sentence for causing a deadly crash in February 2023 that killed a young mother and maimed her girlfriend.
Instead, he listened with his head hung low as the girlfriend, Gina Mustacchio, 32, defended him and blamed an Orlando police officer, whose chase of Grace — in violation of department policy — topped 60 mph through a neighborhood a few blocks from the KIA Center. Grace’s initial crime was to run a red light.
If the officer had even just turned on his police vehicle’s lights and sirens, Delmy “Patty” Alvarez would have known to avoid the intersection at West Anderson and Parramore where the barreling Lexus RC350 driven by Grace T-boned their car, Mustacchio said, addressing the court via a video conference from her home in Massachusetts.
Circuit Judge Greg Tyner delayed imposing a sentence until Thursday to allow a psychologist to testify on Grace’s behalf.
Grace also may testify, his family said.
An emotional Mustacchio said she spent months “banging on Orlando’s blue wall” for information before learning about the police chase, which the department had acted to keep from the public.
“I don’t believe that Orlando PD would have ever told me the truth — and likely would have never arrested Mr. Grace if I had just sat around and waited for them to give me answers about what happened to me and my friend,” she said as Tyner listened.
Luis Garcia, left, translates for Marta Lopez, mother of Delmy Alvarez, as she reads a statement during the sentencing of Jaicarious Grace on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Alvarez at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Speaking in Spanish, Delmy Alvarez’ mother, Marta Lopez, also blamed police.
She said she was “certain that in my daughter’s death there are two responsible parties,” Grace and the chasing officer.
When finished speaking, she turned to Grace and mouthed in English, “God bless you.”
“I don’t hold a grudge because I know that his action wasn’t intended to kill my daghter, though unfortunately every action has consequences and he must pay the worst part,” she said.
Orlando police did not immediately respond to a Sentinel request for comment.
Grace, now 30, withdrew not guilty pleas to vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, and four third-degree felonies, including causing serious bodily injury while driving without a valid license, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana. He has accepted a plea deal that calls for a 13-year sentence, Mustacchio said she was told, although neither the defense nor prosecution confirmed that in court.
Judge Greg Tynan presides over the sentencing of Jaicarious Grace on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Jaicarious Grace at his sentencing hearing in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez, a young mother of two, before judge Greg Tynan at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Ruth Grace, mom of Jaicarious Grace, speaks as Assistant Public Defender Brittany Sakovich, looks on, during his sentencing hearing on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez, a young mother of two, before judge Greg Tynan at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Jaicarious Grace at his sentencing hearing in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez, a young mother of two, before judge Greg Tynan at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Left to Right, Marta Lopez, mother of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez, says ‘God bless you” to Jaicarious Grace, after reading a statement during his sentencing hearing on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez, a young mother of two, before judge Greg Tynan at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Altrovesia Lechelle Grace, mom of Jaicarious Grace, speaks as Assistant Public Defender Brittany Sakovich, looks on, during his sentencing hearing on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez, a young mother of two, before judge Greg Tynan at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Jaicarious Grace talks with Assistant Public Defender Brittany Sakovich as his sentencing hearing is recessed, at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Left to Right, Assistant Public Defender Brittany Sakovich and Assistant State Attorney Brian Hagner confer with Judge Greg Tynan before the sentencing hearing of Jaicarious Grace on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
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Judge Greg Tynan presides over the sentencing of Jaicarious Grace on vehicular homicide in the police-chase death of Delmy “Patty” Alvarez at the Orange County Courthouse, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. Grace was fleeing a police car that was engaged in an unauthorized pursuit when the fatal crash occurred Feb. 11, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
The Orlando Sentinel revealed the details of the police chase in an article in September 2024.
Grace was trying to outrun a police SUV driven by officer Esequiel Colon, chasing without flashing lights or siren, when his white Lexus RC350 smashed into a Honda Civic driven by Alvarez, 28. Only then did Colon turn on his lights and siren.
The two cars had topped 60 mph on the city neighborhood’s streets, both running stop signs and red lights during a dangerous chase in blatant violation of the Orlando Police Department’s vehicle pursuit policy, the agency’s internal review obtained by the Sentinel determined.
Police arrested Grace on Sep. 10, 2024, 19 months after the crash but just nine days after the Sentinel report.
Documents submitted along with the arrest filing note Grace, who crawled from the wreckage, asked police, “How are the people in the other car?”
The police report also alleged that a sample of Grace’s blood collected at the hospital revealed the presence of fentanyl.
Mustacchio successfully sued Orlando police for her injuries.
The lawsuit, settled in June, argued Colon was partly responsible for the crash, blaming him for ignoring the agency’s pursuit policy, which generally allows for a vehicle pursuit only with evidence or strong suspicion of a “forcible felony,” defined by a list of eight violent crimes that don’t fit the circumstances of the chase of Grace.
Gina Mustacchio, left, and Delmy Alvarez pose for a selfie in the summer of 2022 on a beach in Puerto Rico while on the island for a friend’s wedding. “We met in 2021 and became best friends immediately,” Mustacchio said. “We did everything together.” (Photo courtesy of Gina Mustacchio)
The city agreed to a $300,000 legal settlement — the maximum payable under Florida law — with the funds split after attorneys’ fees between Mustacchio and Delmy’s two children. The agreement did not require the city to admit any responsibility for the crash.
shudak@orlandosentinel.com