PHOENIX — A Valley family says more could be done to follow up on hit-and-run cases after a young woman was injured being pinned between two cars.
For Patricia Taveapont, a quick errand with her roommate turned to terror in just seconds near 35th Avenue and Fillmore Street on June 6.
“The only thing I was able to do was scream,” Taveapont said.
The whole thing, caught on camera, shows a driver quickly backing up into her, pinning her legs between two cars, then speeding off.
“As soon as the car left, I felt blood running down my legs, so I immediately covered behind my legs,” Taveapont said.
She says her leg broke in multiple places, including severe damage to her arteries.
"She endured seven hours of surgery.” Mother Shirlene Yazzie said. “Five hours were for her veins."
She is expected to recover fully over time.
Yazzie said, in the two months since the hit-and-run, she has not heard many updates on the investigation into what happened. She said she independently went to the laundry mat, got the video, and posted it online, asking for community tips.
“I needed to get it out there. I needed, I needed help,” Yazzie said.
But this isn’t the first time a hit-and-run has struck this family.
Yazzie says, her cousin, who she saw as a brother, was also the victim of a hit-and-run in in Phoenix in 2022. He died due to his injuries.
At the time, police said they arrested a driver. However, ABC15 is following up with the County Attorney’s Office to see if charges were ever brought.
Hit-and-runs are a troubling trend across Arizona, ranked third for hit-and-run rates nationally by the US Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Phoenix call log data shows so far this year, more than 6,000 entries for hit-and-runs, with more than 400 classified with injuries and 19 fatalities.
“The doctor said I was lucky to be alive,” Taveapont said.
In Taveapont’s case, Phoenix police has recommended charges for a suspect; however, it will be up to the county attorney’s office if they decide to pursue charges.
This family says every victim has a right to closure.
“If you see something, say something that should be really out there for everybody,” Yazzie said. "Okay, get us justice. Please. We need justice.”
