Son's High-Speed I-215 Death Leads To 'The AJ Project' In Menifee

MENIFEE, CA — Reina Jackson is a Menifee mom on a mission to save lives after losing one so precious to her. She has formed the nonprofit "The AJ Project," which is working to "slam on the brakes" of illegal street racing and reckless driving.

Jackson speaks from the heart. On May 28, she lost her 20-year-old son, Ajanni "AJ" Cabrera. According to the California Highway Patrol, the young man was driving "at a high rate of speed" on Interstate 215 in Menifee when he lost control of his car and slammed into a concrete barrier. He was not wearing a safety belt and was ejected. He died at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

One of Ajanni's friends saw the freeway wreckage and recognized the car. He called one of Ajanni's younger brothers, Messiah, to alert the family. The car was unmistakable — a red 2004 Nissan 350Z. Ajanni worked overtime as a certified forklift operator at Living Spaces to save for it. He was so proud, his mom shared.

In the days and weeks after the crash, Jackson remembers going to the salvage yard with her husband to retrieve their son's belongings from his mangled prized vehicle. Inside, she found a remembrance from a candlelight vigil Ajanni had attended just a few weeks before his own tragic death. The vigil was for a friend killed March 25 in a high-speed wreck. That date was Ajanni's 2oth birthday.

"Once your eyes are open to something you can't unsee it. I missed that opportunity to have that conversation with him," Jackson said of the vital window to talk to her son, in-depth, about the dangers of street racing and reckless driving.

It was at that moment, Jackson said, that she decided to effect change with The AJ Project.

With support from her family and friends, on Nov. 4 The AJ Project hosted an assembly for seniors at Paloma Valley High School in Menifee. Ajanni graduated from the campus in 2019. The theme was, “Share Straight Truth and Slam The Brakes On Illegal Street Racing & Reckless Driving."

Jackson recounted her personal story with students but also offered information gleaned from law enforcement and other agencies about the responsibilities of being a licensed driver.

"I don't see a murderer in the room, but in the blink of an eye that could change," Jackson shared with the kids. She asked if any of them were ready to spend years behind bars for vehicular homicide. "Think about your families."

Jackson's visit to her son's alma mater was — unfortunately — very timely. Less than two weeks before the assembly, Paloma Valley High School lost senior Ana Arreola, 18. She was driving westbound on Railroad Canyon Drive in Lake Elsinore when, for unknown reasons, her vehicle crossed over the median into opposing traffic and was hit by an eastbound motorist. She died at the crash scene. The wreck remains under investigation.

Some of Ana's friends came up to Jackson after the assembly and thanked her for coming to their school.

Jackson is hopeful that her regret can inspire parents to have meaningful discussions with their own kids about the dangers of high-speed driving.

"There are a lot of things our children are doing that would come as a surprise. I didn't know Ajanni drove like that or didn't wear a seatbelt when I wasn't with him," she said. "Don't think this can't happen to your child. It's senseless and it's tragic."

Jackson is a married stay-at-home mom. She is well-spoken and sounds thankful for what she has. Ajanni was her oldest, and his obituary, which she wrote, celebrates his life.

"I'm very conscious of how I grieve," she said. "I don't want my children to get stuck in grief."

Heading into the holidays, Jackson said she wants to show support for women who "have a child present in heaven but not at the Thanksgiving dinner table." To that end, The AJ Project is hosting a “Refueling Mothers” luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Fairfield Marriott in Menifee, 30140 Town Center Drive. The free walk-in event will help "reinvigorate and undergird the mothers, grandmothers and aunts who have laid a child to rest," she said.

Jackson thinks about the people affected by what happened this past spring — her son's many friends, co-workers, and acquaintances; the motorists and first-responders who saw the crash and its aftermath; and one of her neighbors who witnessed Ajanni's lifeless body that fateful night.

"I think about her and how traumatic it was for her," she said. "This impacts an entire community."

Editor's Note:

The California Highway Patrol is offering a free "Start Smart" program that can help prevent driving-related tragedies.

The CHP, Temecula Area will host a Start Smart class on Monday, Nov. 15 at 29737 New Hub Dr., Suite # 201, Menifee, CA 92586. The class is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. If a teen is attending, at least one parent is also encouraged to join.

The "Start Smart" program focuses on providing comprehensive traffic safety education classes for teenagers and their parents.

"Start Smart employs innovative techniques to capture the attention of teenagers and parents, providing a lasting experience," according to the CHP.

The curriculum includes information on collision statistics, teen driver and passenger behaviors, graduated driver license (GDL) laws, cultural changes in today's society, and the need for stronger parental involvement in a teenager's driving experience.

For information, contact CHP Officer Mike Lassig at (951) 506-2000 or MLassig@chp.ca.gov to RSVP. Seating is limited.