One of the men accused in street racing death due in court

One of two men accused of causing the death of an 81-year-old woman while racing their BMWs is due in court Thursday.

Wade Wheeler, 32, of Rancho Mirage is scheduled to be arraigned at the Larson Justice Center in Indio in connection with the June 18, 2013, crash that killed Barbara Schmitz and seriously injured her husband Gerald in Rancho Mirage.

Wheeler and co-defendant Scott Bahls, 29, of Palm Springs, are each charged with one count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and unlawfully engaging in a speed contest on a highway.

Bahls, who is also charged with one count of hit-and-run causing death or injury, is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 28.

Charges were filed against both men on Aug. 25, according to court records.

According to a declaration filed in support of an arrest warrant, Wheeler was seen on Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage “revving his vehicle’s engine to gain the attention of the driver of another BMW, Scott Bahls. Witnesses said the two BMWs had been traveling in excess of 70-80 mph at times.”

According to another declaration, witnesses reported seeing both vehicles swerving through traffic and “communicating to each other through their windows. Both vehicles were seen either side by side or within a car length apart.”

Wheeler’s vehicle, which was going east on 111, crashed into the passenger side of a vehicle driven by Gerald Schmitz as he was turning left at Dunes View Road. Schmitz’s vehicle launched into the air and rolled several times.

Barbara Schmitz died at a hospital about two hours after the crash, according to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. Her husband suffered serious injuries, according to the declarations and criminal complaint.

Wheeler had been going 74 mph before the crash, and suffered a broken leg.

Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall said earlier that prosecutors “carefully examined all the evidence in this case before making our decision on what charges were the most appropriate to file.

The decision was based on the evidence as found during the thorough investigation done by law enforcement.”

He added that the case involved “complex crash reconstruction” and many witness interviews.

According to court records, a warrant for Wheeler was recalled Tuesday when he appeared in court for arraignment, which was rescheduled to tomorrow.

Bahls was arrested Aug. 31 in Palm Springs and posted an $80,000 bond, according to jail records.