PHOENIX — Police say an alleged drunk driver may be to blame for a crash that killed a 16-year-old girl in Phoenix early Wednesday morning.
Authorities say 24-year-old Kelvin Allen was driving a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder at a high rate of speed northbound on 16th Street and Roeser when he lost control of his car and crashed into a cinder block fence.
Allen told police that he lost control of his car when he tried to pass a slower vehicle and the back end of his car collided with the front of another vehicle. This caused Allen's vehicle to jump a curb, cross a sidewalk, and crash into a concrete wall where the vehicle finally came to a stop.
Police say there were five people in Allen's car, including 16-year-old Kaniesha Sutton who was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle when Allen's car crashed into the concrete wall.
Sutton was pronounced dead on the scene. The other passengers suffered minor injuries, police say.
Officers say Allen was evaluated and police determined he was impaired. According to court documents, officers noticed signs of impairment when they spoke with Allen following the crash.
Court documents showed he had "blood-shot, watery eyes," the smell of alcohol on his breath, and that his BAC was .102.
He was arrested and charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, and endangerment.
