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Woman killed, child critical after crash involving driver traveling 115+ mph

Eulalio Juarez Rodriguez
Posted at 9:03 AM, Apr 13, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-13 20:24:40-04

PHOENIX — An 18-year-old has been arrested after police say he was traveling 115 miles per hour in south Phoenix Tuesday moments before a deadly crash.

Just before 8 p.m., Phoenix police and fire crews were called to the area of 32nd and Southern avenues for reports of a crash involving a Camaro and a Hyundai.

During an investigation, detectives learned the driver of the Camaro, identified as 18-year-old Eulalio Juarez Rodriguez, was traveling west on Southern at more than 115 miles per hour 2.5 seconds before the crash. At half a second before impact, he slowed down to 88 mph, police said.

The posted speed limit in the area is 45 mph.

The Camaro crashed into a Hyundai that was traveling east on Southern, attempting to turn left onto 32nd Avenue.

The force of the crash sent the Hyundai into a wooden power pole.

Phoenix police said 35-year-old Katrina Dean was driving with her four-year-old daughter. The little girl's godmother, Liz Pena, told ABC15 her name is Aubrielle Randels.

Pena said Dean was more like a sister to her than a friend, and she found out over the phone what happened. 

"I went to bed and two minutes later I got a call from her mom," said Pena. "She just let me know Trina [Katrina] was gone and I said gone where."

Aubrielle was taken to the hospital in "extremely critical condition", and Pena said right now doctors are focused on trying to treat her brain trauma.

"She has a lot of brain trauma," said Pena. "The neurosurgeons are trying to get an understanding of how they are going to make that work and help her. I just got word her body is moving."

It's the little things that are keeping hope alive. 

Rodriguez has been booked into the Maricopa County Jail and is facing charges of manslaughter due to the speed. Police say impairment is not suspected.

An investigation remains ongoing.

A Gofundme has been set up to help with Katrina's funeral expenses.