Ind. man sentenced in IRL mechanic’s death

INDIANAPOLIS — A man was sentenced to 14 years in prison Thursday in the death of an IndyCar team mechanic during a fight outside an Indianapolis bar.

James P. Brackin, 31, of Indianapolis initially was charged with murder in the death of 63-year-old David “Davey” Evans, but pleaded guilty last month to voluntary manslaughter. He had faced a term of six to 20 years in prison.

Marion County prosecutor’s office spokesman Mario V. Massillamany said that Evans’ family was satisfied with the sentence. He says the judge considered more than 100 letters from members of the racing community.

Evans, a crewman with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, died May 4, 2008, outside the Kazablanka Bar, which is attached to the hotel where team members were staying for the Indianapolis 500.

Witnesses said after Brackin and Evans argued inside the bar about a woman, Brackin followed Evans outside, jumped on a table and kicked him in the head, according to a probable cause affidavit. When police arrived, they found Evans unconscious on the deck outside the bar, and he was pronounced dead at Wishard Hospital about 40 minutes later.