GILBERT, AZ — New details have emerged in an alleged DUI crash that killed two women in September in Gilbert.
On September 19, Gilbert police said a 35-year-old driver hit and killed 36-year-old Nicole Snell, a ride-share driver, and 33-year-old Marisa Jorgenson, a passenger in the car. The crash happened near Recker and Ray Roads before 9 pm.
Police say impairment was believed to be a factor in the crash, and the driver also went to the hospital that night. According to police, he’s been under medical care since the crash and has not yet been arrested; ABC15 is not naming the driver since he’s not been arrested yet.
However, new details have come out in a police report ABC15 obtained. Officers wrote that the driver was going 89-96 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone.
Several witnesses told police they saw the driver go at “a high rate of speed,” also clipping a third vehicle on his way to the intersection before going into the intersection where the light was red, according to police records.
“Were you surprised to see how much police said he was speeding?” ABC15 asked Marisa Jorgenson’s parents.
“Yeah, I thought he was maybe doing 60 miles per hour, but to hear he was doing almost 100 miles per hour, I mean, who does that?” said Tom Jorgenson, Marisa’s father.
Marisa leaves behind two boys. Her family tells us it’s been difficult since the crash happened, not knowing when justice will come.
“There are two beautiful souls that are not living their lives because of his actions,” Tom said.
Nicole Snell was loved in the country line dancing community in the East Valley, her friends told ABC15 in September.
“It makes me ill to think about it… The only comfort I have is it seems like it was quick and neither of the two girls suffered,” Julie said of her daughter, Marisa and driver Nicole.
The police report also stated that the driver did not use his brakes and multiple blood draws were taken. In a probable cause document from police, it stated his BAC was .287, more than three times the legal limit. Records say officers also saw two open single-serve bottles of alcohol in the car.
Police documents show that an officer noted the odor of alcohol when they tried to contact the driver. His car also flipped in the crash, while Snell’s vehicle hit a pole. Snell’s dog was also in the car and was killed in the crash.
“It's not a mistake. This was a deliberate, intentional action as far as I'm concerned,” Tom said.
According to the police report, law enforcement is recommending five charges: Two counts of second-degree murder, three counts of endangerment and one count of animal cruelty. Police typically recommend charges and then it's forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review and they file it.
At this point, it's unclear when the driver will be released from medical care and arrested.
