GLENDALE, Ariz. — The 13-year-old boy who was struck by a hit-and-run driver in Glendale earlier this month has passed away, police say.
Elias Bizzle was hit by a car on April 11 near 47th and Northern avenues while riding a bicycle with a group of other kids. Police said the group was crossing at the intersection when Bizzle was hit by a vehicle traveling westbound on Northern Avenue.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Un niño de 13 años murió después de un incidente de atropello y fuga en Glendale
The teen sustained serious injuries and was taken to the hospital. Bizzle passed away on April 23.
“He didn’t deserve this. No one deserves it," Bizzle's mother said a couple of days after the crash.
Joshua Holbert, 27, was identified as the driver who allegedly left the scene after hitting the victim. He turned himself in two days after the crash.
Court records reveal Holbert was apparently not impaired at the time of the crash.
*Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.*
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.