PHOENIX — Phoenix police say four people are dead after a fiery crash involving a rideshare and a stolen vehicle in the West Valley.
The crash occurred on July 22, near 43rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road.
Police say a stolen car was driving at a high rate of speed northbound on 43rd Avenue. Another vehicle, a rideshare, was facing southbound and turning left onto Thunderbird. The stolen car struck the car turning left.
The vehicle attempting to turn broke out into flames.
Officers say three adults from the rideshare vehicle that caught fire were pronounced dead at the scene.
They have been identified as 28-year-old Terry Hill, 37-year-old Sara Anne Loustaunau, and 39-year-old British Conception Pena.
Police say six people, ranging from teenagers to young adults, were inside the stolen vehicle and were taken to hospitals with serious injuries.
One of them was later pronounced dead. She is identified as 19-year-old Galexy Saunders.
A nearby business provided ABC15 with surveillance video showing what appears to be two cars speeding through the intersection just before the crash, along with a flash of light.
The footage was taken right before 1:50 a.m., around the time police say the crash happened.
"We have people racing all the time, going way too fast in these areas," said Johnnie Grgurich, who lives in the townhomes near the intersection.
He and his wife have been attending community meetings and trying to work with Phoenix City Council and police to take action.
"We've been asking for more police action, or whatever, more streetlights possibly or more cameras," said Grgurich. "So we can actually pick up these vehicles and do something."
Police are looking for a dark-colored sedan that was racing the stolen vehicle before the crash.
The family of Loustaunau said she was a mother of two young boys, “I lost my world that night, I lost my world forever,” said her mother, Diana Heppler.
Heppler said it took eight days to identify her daughter’s remains, “Nothing tastes the same, my world changed forever,” she added.
Loustaunau was in the rideshare with her boyfriend, who was her high school sweetheart from Cortez High School.
The couple recently reconnected and were on a date that night, according to her mother.
Loustaunau will be laid to rest this weekend, August 13.
Her family has started a social media fundraiser on GoFundMe for her children, you can find more here.
