Happy Friday! The weekend is almost here!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Friday, June 19; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Slight cool-down heading into Father's Day weekend
Sunshine and heat to close out the week in the Valley.
High today reaches 107º with overnight lows near 80º.
A slight cool-down arrives for Father's Day weekend, with highs around 105º.
Man dies after driving car into San Tan Valley home; homeowner shoots driver
A man is dead after driving an SUV into a San Tan Valley home on Wednesday evening, where a resident inside opened fire.
Pinal County Sheriff's Office deputies responded near Hunt Highway and Magma Road just after 6:30 p.m., after receiving multiple 911 calls about the incident.
Vaughn's family identified the man killed as Jewell Vaughn, a father of five and a grandfather of one. PCSO confirmed he was 34 years old.
According to PCSO, Vaughn drove an SUV into the home, injuring both an adult male and adult female resident inside. Photos from the scene show significant damage, with the vehicle appearing to have gone through the front of the home and into the backyard.
After the crash, one of the residents of the home opened fire. Vaughn was pronounced dead a short time later by area medical staff.
The male resident was taken into custody and interviewed by PCSO detectives before being released. He was then transported by ambulance to a Valley hospital for injuries sustained during the initial incident. The female resident was also treated and transported to a hospital. Both are expected to survive.
Investigators are not saying whether they believe Vaughn intentionally drove into the home or if there was a mechanical or medical condition that caused the crash.
Waymo recalls thousands of vehicles after Phoenix highway construction zone incidents
Waymo said they are making software improvements to thousands of their vehicles after several drove into construction zones on highways in Phoenix and San Francisco in recent months.
According to the Safety Recall Report submitted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3,800 vehicles have been identified as needing safety upgrades, specifically when driving around construction zones.
The report said that a Waymo autonomous vehicle (AV) drove past ramp closure signs and into pre-planned freeway construction zones in Phoenix on April 11. The same thing happened again five more times on Phoenix highways on April 19.
The Arizona Department of Transportation confirmed these incidents happened on SR 51 during the ongoing pavement rehabilitation project.
A day later, Waymo’s Field Safety Committee began meetings reviewing the events.
The report also found seven incidents on May 19 when Waymo AVs drove between cones designating lane closures on a freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area "inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone.”
Mother of teen killed in Maryvale High School campus stabbing files wrongful death lawsuit
On the morning of August 19th, Michael Montoya II got up and headed off to Maryvale High School, where he had just started his junior year.
It was the last time Graciela Lopez would see her 16-year-old son alive.
They exchanged texts that morning. Then suddenly everything went silent.
Police say her son was stabbed multiple times in a classroom by another teen and later died at the hospital. A witness said the suspect, 16-year-old Chris Daniel Aguilar, and his twin brother said they would “murder the victim" after an alleged robbery.
Chris Aguilar was charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
Lopez on Thursday filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Phoenix Union High School District over alleged safety failures.
Former Liberty H.S. wrestlers allege hazing in lawsuits
Two former wrestlers from Liberty High School have filed lawsuits claiming the Peoria Unified School District and their former coach were negligent in protecting the athletes from sexual contact and assault.
Rex and Ryder Fortenberry, who first told their stories to ABC15 last year, detailed instances from 2022 to 2024 in the lawsuits.
According to the legal claims, teammates inappropriately touched the brothers, and the Fortenberrys' attorney says the behavior continued openly and undeterred by coaches.
Earlier this week, the Peoria Police Department announced it closed its criminal investigation without recommending charges against anyone.
Liberty High School has one of the top-ranked high school wrestling programs in the state.
When contacted for comment, a school district spokesperson told ABC15 they had not yet been served with the lawsuit.
Peoria Unified School District previously completed its own investigation into the hazing allegations. Liberty's head wrestling coach, Eric Brenton, had been put on administrative leave, but he was reinstated earlier this year.
The district also said administrators improved the supervision of wrestlers.
