Synclair Mayes faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in the death of landscaper Guadalupe Rivera.
CHESAPEAKE, VA — A Chesapeake judge denied bond Friday for 19-year-old Synclair Tyrone Mayes, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter after a May 29 crash in Great Bridge killed a landscaper working along Johnstown Road.
The ruling keeps Mayes in custody while the criminal case moves forward. Prosecutors argued against his release after police said a speeding sedan struck another vehicle, left the roadway and hit 60-year-old Guadalupe Rivera, a Suffolk man who was working nearby. Defense attorneys argued Mayes was not a flight risk and had no prior criminal record, but the judge sided with prosecutors.
The crash happened around 9:49 a.m. May 29 in the 400 block of Johnstown Road, near Britwell Drive in Chesapeake’s Great Bridge area. Police said a black sedan was traveling south on Johnstown Road at a high rate of speed when it collided with a red SUV turning onto Johnstown Road from Britwell Drive. The impact pushed the sedan off the road, where it struck Rivera as he worked near the sidewalk. Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene. The drivers of both vehicles were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries, police said.
Rivera’s family said he had spent years working in landscaping across Hampton Roads and was a supervisor for Lawnmasters of Virginia, a Chesapeake-based company. His brother, Joe Rivera, described him as kind, steady and devoted to his family. “He was a great person. He was always kind to everybody,” Joe Rivera said. “He would talk to anybody, try to help anybody he could.” Family members said Guadalupe Rivera had eight children and 33 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Police announced Mayes’ arrest June 4, six days after the crash. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony that applies in Virginia when prosecutors allege a death was caused by criminal negligence. Authorities have not publicly released all findings from the crash investigation, including a final reconstruction report, a listed speed or whether toxicology testing played any role in the case. Public reports identified the sedan as a black Cadillac and the SUV as a Honda CR-V.
The section of Johnstown Road where the crash occurred runs through a developed part of Great Bridge, with apartment buildings, neighborhood streets and roadside work areas close to traffic. The crash drew concern from people who live and work nearby, some of whom said speeding has been a long-running issue on that stretch. The fatal impact also highlighted the risks faced by road-adjacent workers, including landscapers, utility crews and construction workers who often operate just feet from moving vehicles.
In court, Mayes’ attorneys pointed to his age, lack of a reported criminal history and local ties as reasons he should be released while awaiting trial. Prosecutors pressed for detention, citing the fatal outcome and the circumstances described by investigators. The judge’s decision means Mayes remains held without bond unless a later hearing changes his custody status. The next procedural steps are expected to include additional court appearances, review of police evidence and decisions by prosecutors on how to present the case as it advances.
For Rivera’s relatives, the case has moved from a crash scene to a courtroom while grief remains fresh. His family said he had worked as a landscaper for about 15 years and spent much of his time outside work with relatives. Joe Rivera said his brother loved family gatherings, cookouts and football, but most of all wanted to be close to the people he loved. The family remembered him as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather and brother whose death left a wide circle mourning.
Mayes remains in custody after the bond denial. Police have said the investigation is continuing, and further court dates will determine how the involuntary manslaughter case proceeds.
Author note: Last updated June 13, 2026.