Tag: DUI

Magnus White’s killer sentenced to prison

In a Colorado case that garnered national attention, the driver who killed pro cyclist Magnus White was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

The driver who hit and killed Magnus told Colorado State Patrol investigators on the scene that she had an issue with her steering that caused her to veer off the road. Colorado State Patrol told CBS Colorado there were no indicators of impairment, and she was never tested for any substances.
“The very first thing that Colorado State Patrol said to us was the driver did everything right,” said Jill. “That raised a question mark in our heads. ‘Really? Our son is dead. How did the driver do everything right?'”
Text messages and cell phone videos presented at trial revealed that the driver, 24-year-old Yeva Smilianska, had been drinking, washing down prescription medications with whiskey, and staying up until the early morning hours the day of the crash. — CBS News

Yikes, police initially said “driver did everything right”. Phew. I wonder how they (the police?) dug up all this evidence? Continue reading “Magnus White’s killer sentenced to prison”

Jogger killed by hit and run pickup driver in New River takes plea

surveillance image of suspect vehicle. source: MSCO

Feb. 24, 2024 around 10am. eastbound Cloud near 7th Ave, New River. Pedestrian (jogger) killed.

The driver of a massive pickup truck was somehow driving along the shoulder when they struck and killed a jogger. Cloud Road there is a two lane road with a massively wide gravel shoulder (the google street view of Feb ’25 shows the Mancuso’s memorial). It is highly unlikely a jogger jogging along Cloud Road would be anywhere near the fog line. Anyway, here’s azfamily’s account of crash, which is helpful in understanding the timeline of events: Continue reading “Jogger killed by hit and run pickup driver in New River takes plea”

Bicyclist killed in Phoenix crash; driver suspected of impairment, speeding

8/12/2024 11:35p Cave creek near Dynamite.

Phoenix police are for whatever reason keeping the name of the driver a secret. This was 6 months ago; why no follow up? was anyone ever charged? good luck finding out because PPD won’t say.

This is way out there; I would have thought this was Scottsdale, but it’s city of Phoenix. The underage (for alcohol) driver is suspected of excessive speed and impairment; he may or may hot have been arrested(?). (Police normally release the name of someone who’s been arrested; investigation is ongoing in either case; whatever, not having the name of the suspect makes it difficult to look up outcomes. See this one for a driver who was arrested but name was never released; I had to dig it up by buying the police report)(orthisone.Whyasecret?) Continue reading “Bicyclist killed in Phoenix crash; driver suspected of impairment, speeding”

Bicyclist struck and killed ‘crossing’ Van Buren

2025-02-11 856p Bicyclist was struck by an eastbound driver while ‘crossing’ Van Buren in the vicinity of 19th Ave, Phoenix.

While the term ‘crossing’ is confusing with regard to a bicyclist; it implies the bicyclist was behaving as a pedestrian (“pedestrian on wheels”), rather than operating vehicularly which may or may not be true. This area (sample location) has a profusion of driveways where vehicles (or bicyclists) may enter the roadway but only after yielding to traffic moving along the street (Van Buren). It makes little or no difference in determining fault; I  point it out only because it makes it harder to categorize the crash… and Phoenix in particular does seem to have a lot of such crashes resulting in bicyclist fatalities.
Continue reading “Bicyclist struck and killed ‘crossing’ Van Buren”

Suspected DUI driver crashes into Ahwatukee home

Yikes.

Suspected DUI? of course. Hit and Run? uh huh.

Arizona has tough DUI laws, right? Don’t count on it. If the driver is found to be impaired, expect nothing more than a misdemeanor DUI. Possibly misdemeanor hit-and-run (as apparently there were no injuries, unless you count the driver’s bump on the head). Prosecutors seem to have no imagination. EnDANGERment? Naw. Continue reading “Suspected DUI driver crashes into Ahwatukee home”

Driver drank alcohol before crash that left bicyclist dead in Gilbert, police say

2024-03-02 1:25pm. location: Queen Creek Road, near Higley.

Driver “veered off” into the bike lane and killed John Pomeroy; the driver was arrested several months later (see news story, below) based on toxicology results which showed an unstated amount of alcohol along with a prescription drug.  However since that time the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has declined to bring charges for unknown  reasons…

Continue reading “Driver drank alcohol before crash that left bicyclist dead in Gilbert, police say”

SUV driver loses control drives on sidewalk causing serious injury

2024-11-02 “early morning”.  Mesa: Southern Ave just west of Gilbert Rd.

An SUV driver for unknown reasons left the roadway and destroyed his vehicle, seriously injuring a bicyclist who was on the sidewalk at the time.

 

Continue reading “SUV driver loses control drives on sidewalk causing serious injury”

Driver arrested: Teenager killed in PV by pickup driver

The victim, 14 y.o. Gabriel Grande, was an accomplished MTB competitor

11/12/2024 around 5:30p.

14-year old was retuning home from a MTB ride was struck and killed on Viewpoint drive near Manley, Prescott Valley.

A specific location wasn’t mentioned; from some of the new video, it’s in an area similar to this where the road is 1 lane in each direction with a very small paved shoulder, and then some gravel. [update on the specific location: as the comment below points out, the road was rebuilt more recently than the street view; the current sat view is, however, does show the current configuration]

Continue reading “Driver arrested: Teenager killed in PV by pickup driver”

16-year-old girl arrested after DUI hit-and-run crash that killed woman in Ash Fork

8/10/2024 ~ 3am Pedestrian fatality; near 4th Street and Park Avenue, Ash Fork.

The street where this occurred, Park Ave near 4th, is a two-lane one way residential (there is a twin street a couple hundred feet away, Lewis, that goes the other way). This is a typical small rural town setup for the main route thru town. It’s just off the I-40.

It will be interesting to see if the driver is charged as an adult or as a juvenile. And if a juvenile, why do we let children drive cars?

The litany of very serious charges, e.g. manslaughter are unlikely to stick as it seems unlikely the person she killed would have had the right of way; unless they can prove something like the excessive speed (which seems unlikely).

She was probably driving on a graduated driver’s license which means it’s illegal to drive between midnight and 5AM unless with a parent; but that’s an inconsequential charge in the scheme of things.

The hit-and-run w/death charge is likely to stick but, despite being a serious felony doesn’t result in much in the way of punishment. Continue reading “16-year-old girl arrested after DUI hit-and-run crash that killed woman in Ash Fork”

Man standing next to bicycle killed during hit-and-run crash in north Phoenix, suspect arrested

July 28, 2024. Well, isn’t that special? Standing on the sidewalk? Hit and run? DUI suspected? Another Phoenix traffic fatality. Related: see Phoenix drunken driving deaths soared last year (as dui arrests decline). 

This might get incorrectly tagged as a pedalcyclist crash; earlier versions of media stories had the headline as “Bicyclist killed in hit-run…” it should be pedestrian according to the description. I will carry it as a not-bicyclist on the fatality spreadsheet.
Continue reading “Man standing next to bicycle killed during hit-and-run crash in north Phoenix, suspect arrested”

Driver on suspended license hits and kills cyclist in Phoenix

May 17(?) 2024

The driver has since been indicted my MCAO on 2nd degree murder.

This has it all: domestic violence, DUI, driving on a suspended license, hit-and-run w/fatality, ramming police vehicles (which should amount to aggravated assault), and ultimately murdering a bicyclist while fleeing.

Though i would expect prosecution to overlook (as they always do) the hit-and-run because, well, hit-and-run is routinely overlooked — by which i mean that by statute, and sentence for it must run consecutively (and not concurrently) to any other crime charged, so they pretty much always just give probation for hit-and run… Continue reading “Driver on suspended license hits and kills cyclist in Phoenix”

DPS: Wrong-way driver had 0.263 BAC in crash that killed mother, injured daughter in Apache Junction

Jan 21, 2024 Sunday morning ~6am, Apache Junction, U.S. 60 near Mountain View Road; head-on MV crash.

DPS: Wrong-way driver had 0.263 BAC in crash that killed mother, injured daughter in Apache Junction According to the news article, the driver Adam Parker “has two prior DUI convictions.” Continue reading “DPS: Wrong-way driver had 0.263 BAC in crash that killed mother, injured daughter in Apache Junction”

Pedestrian killed at Paseo Trail xing, driver in custody after TWO crashes Chandler

11/27/2023 ~7am Continue reading “Pedestrian killed at Paseo Trail xing, driver in custody after TWO crashes Chandler”

Driver pleads guilty to endangerment in double fatality

Crime date: Oct 5, 2018

So many twists and turns, but illustrative on how the justice system has great difficulty dealing with bad drivers (never even brought manslaughter charges, sound familiar?). This 2018 case was referenced in an azbikelaw article several years ago, but there are updates and case is now (Dec 2021) finally closed :

Even when there’s some other clear evidence, e.g. very drunk, charges are sometimes not brought, e.g. police say Collin Reeves was very drunk at .145 BAC  proceeding straight ahead and collided with a left-turning driver at the intersection of McKellips and Alma School Rd in Mesa, resulting in two motorist (and their dog) deaths  County Attorney drops charges on accused drunk driver who killed 2 . Witnesses say Reeves’ light was red; but prosecutors claim they can’t prove anything, thus the dropped charges. — click for original article

Continue reading “Driver pleads guilty to endangerment in double fatality”

Force of deadly crash in Tempe splits car in half, driver arrested

Sat 11/25/2023 “early morning” ~ 1:30A

Rural Road southbound, just south of Broadway, Tempe. Driver is suspected of impairment and excessive speed; crossed over and struck a fixes object, a “single vehicle” type crash.

Rural Road is very wide. (too wide?). This apparently allegedly involved street racing; the evening tv news (pasted below), the crash occurred on the property of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, on the east side of Rural Road.

Continue reading “Force of deadly crash in Tempe splits car in half, driver arrested”