Category: safety

2022 Preliminary Arizona Traffic Crash Stats

[UPDATE: yes, this is wrong wrong wrong. 2022 was in fact a terrible, bad, worse year; see Arizona Crash Facts 2022 ]

This is a warning about preliminary data and drawing stats from it… there was a news article “Arizona traffic fatalities are down in 2022, data shows” that was suggesting that 2022 might be on-track for significantly fewer traffic fatalities:

After a deadlier than usual year for traffic deaths in 2021, fatalities in 2022 showed a sharp decrease, according to preliminary data from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
According to the preliminary data from the office, traffic fatalities between January and June fell from 626 deaths in 2021 to 350 deaths in 2022 — a 44% decrease.

Sadly, this is unlikely to be true. Continue reading “2022 Preliminary Arizona Traffic Crash Stats”

Driver in fatal Uber crash rejects plea deal

The case grinds on; police say the driver involved in the “autonomous” uber-pedestrian death in 2018 was watching TV instead of watching the road. Prosecutors (finally) brought negligent homicide charges in 2020. The current news item of interest is the driver has recently rejected an offer which would entail the driver pleading guilty to the charge in exchange for it being treated as a “non-dangerous” felony. That would, almost certainly, result in a sentence of only probation and no incarceration. Continue reading “Driver in fatal Uber crash rejects plea deal”

Hit-and-run driver was speeding before killing bicyclist in Buckeye, court docs say

5/21/2022 6AM. Bicyclist 60 y.o. George Cooper is dead, and another hit-and-run suspect Fernando Ramos, was arrested by MSCO, “… a crash recreation showed he was going around 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says Ramos previously served time for aggravated assault with a vehicle and has also been arrested in the past for DUI”.
This comes less than a month after  police arrested another driver, Richard Romo, also with a horrendous past driving record in connection with the hit-and-run killing of a 13 y.o. child in Goodyear neighborhood. What are authorities doing to keep the public safe from criminal drivers? Continue reading “Hit-and-run driver was speeding before killing bicyclist in Buckeye, court docs say”

Driver sentenced; Goodyear police seek hit-and-run killer

suspect vehicle located as it is towed from suspect’s residence 2 days after fatal crash

Update: suspect arrested; 44 y.o. Richard Romo. Suspect had a long list of dangerous driving problems, as well as other legal difficulties; previous DUI(s; multiple. aggravated DUI) suspended license (why wasn’t probation revoked last year when he was caught driving?); reckless driving. Much more as situation develops. The suspect, the victim, and the victim’s school are all within 1/2 mile or so of each other. This is in a neighborhood. Disgusting. Continue reading “Driver sentenced; Goodyear police seek hit-and-run killer”

Speeding driver kills two in east Mesa; arrested

Tuesday afternoon 3/22/2022 5:30pm.

Mesa police say 21 y.o. driver Gezane Izreal Cabanillas-Lape was speeding at ~ 100mph along Main street (aka Apache Blvd) at Windsor and struck a minivan; killing both elderly occupants. Police arrested the driver on susp of 2nd degree murder, along with agg assault due to his passenger’s injuries, the news item mentions that impairment is not suspected.

Continue reading “Speeding driver kills two in east Mesa; arrested”

Jeep Wagoneer’s Massive Appeal

Ha ha, the WSJ’s Dan Neil brings satire and sarcasm to the topic… in an article entitled “Jeep Wagoneer’s Massive Appeal“; that’s with emphasis on ‘massive’ 🙂

You’ll probably need an account to read the full article, but here are a few quotes (any emphasis added): Continue reading “Jeep Wagoneer’s Massive Appeal”

Report reveals Pinal Co Sheriff Lamb’s son was believed to be ‘impaired’ during near-fatal crash w/ bicyclist

Aftermath of near-fatal collision; MSCO says the driver was impaired

7/8/2020 6:45PM San Tan Valley area, on Gary Road just south of Judd Road, at around 6:45 pm on July 8.

A driver nearly killed bicyclist Larry Fawcet when police say he drove off the road; as you can see from the extensive damage on the vehicle, the driver was WAY off the road, striking the bicyclist on the (unpaved part?) of the shoulder. When the investigation report was finally released months after (but still before tox results were released) being harangued by ABC15, it revealed that the driver “… Cooper Lamb failed nearly every field sobriety test administered. The Drug Recognition Expert wrote that Cooper ‘displayed poor balance and fine motor skills, his speech was slow and slightly slurred, and he had major problems with simple comprehension on instructions’.”

Continue reading “Report reveals Pinal Co Sheriff Lamb’s son was believed to be ‘impaired’ during near-fatal crash w/ bicyclist”

Woman snuffed out by driver while sitting at bus stop in So Tempe

Mangled bus stop bench is left in wake of a driver who killed woman sitting at bus stop.

1/14/2022 5:30am. 78 y.o. “truck” driver southbound Rural Road near Carver in south Tempe for unexplained reasons lost control and crossed over into northbound lanes, continued on up to sidewalk where he killed 59 y.o. Alice Myskowski who was sitting at a bus stop waiting for her bus to work. Continue reading “Woman snuffed out by driver while sitting at bus stop in So Tempe”

HIT RUN ALERT: red 2-door, 12th St near AZ Canal, Phx

UPDATE: a newer version of the KTAR story says police believe the suspect vehicle is an older Porsche, red 2-door.

Friday 1/14/2021 ~ 1:30AM. A man riding an electric bicycle 12th St near the Arizona Canal, Phoenix and was struck after falling in the street. The criminal driver fled eastbound on Wagon Wheel dr, police say the suspect vehicle is a red 2-door (sedan, i guess?)

Drivers who flee are usually impaired; driver Alexandra Mendez was arrested last week in connection with the killing of a Chris Owan near Luke AFB before Christmas.

Also note that electric bikes riders are classified as “drivers” (and not bicyclists/pedalcyclists) for statistical purposes.

Continue reading “HIT RUN ALERT: red 2-door, 12th St near AZ Canal, Phx”

SENTENCED; driver kills man on Northern Ave, Glendale

Alexandra Mendez arrested.  Suspected driver in fatal Hit And Run and manslaughter. photo: MSCO

[ SUSPECT ARRESTED: Alexandra Mendez in connection with this fatal hit and run. By the way, “people” often say hit-and-run drivers not immediately captured in effect can’t be prosecuted  — tell that to Christophen Wakefield Chevalier who went to prison for 5 years after driving up on a Phoenix sidewalk in 2013 killing someone and fleeing. He did his best to hide the car, but it just wasn’t good enough]

Continue reading “SENTENCED; driver kills man on Northern Ave, Glendale”

Bicyclist killed in crash along Camelback near 42nd St

Very light on details, the entire blurb below is from 12news and there seems to have been no other coverage, other than to have been picked up/repeated on a personal-injury lawyer’s blog.

12/9/2021 8:20am near Camelback and 42nd Ave. No mechanism was given. There is no 42nd avenue there, but what would align with 4200 west block of Camelback is an off-ramp for Grand Avenue ( a.k.a. US60, which is apparently limited access in that area) to Camelback Road.

Continue reading “Bicyclist killed in crash along Camelback near 42nd St”

Bicyclist killed crossing McDowell Rd, Phx by hit-and-run driver

12/16/2021 ~ 10pm

“in the area of 34th Street and McDowell Road, according to a Phoenix Police Department news release… Jeffrey Ray, 53, was riding a bicycle and crossing McDowell Road mid-block”
“A sedan driven by 18-year-old Javon Holston was traveling east on McDowell Road when the vehicle struck Ray and continued driving, according to police officials. Officers found Holston and took him into custody.” — azcentral  Continue reading “Bicyclist killed crossing McDowell Rd, Phx by hit-and-run driver”

Cyclist seriously injured in Prescott by driver; succumbs

9/19/2021 11am Sunday.  Bicyclist Roberto Cota was seriously injured; and ultimately succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash.

The crash was caused when a driver turning left from White Spar onto Haisley, Prescott failed to yield. A so-called “left cross” crash type.

Vehicle Causes Crash Involving Bicyclist on White Spar

Continue reading “Cyclist seriously injured in Prescott by driver; succumbs”

Maricopa County sheriff’s lieutenant fatally struck while conducting traffic in Scottsdale

driver of vehicle struck/killed officer doing traffic control in Scottsdale

11/10/2021 ~ 10am. What was the driver doing to cause such an obvious and fatal mistake? Authorities have not yet said or speculated. The driver’s name has not been released. Scottsdale PD is investigating. McDowell Road near 87th St.

As I’ve noted before, police work can be dangerous, and traffic is a leading cause of death for law enforcement officers.

This is a pedestrian fatality. Continue reading “Maricopa County sheriff’s lieutenant fatally struck while conducting traffic in Scottsdale”