AVONDALE, Ariz. — Speed may have been a possible factor in a crash that left one person dead in the west Valley, MCSO said.
In a release sent Thursday by MCSO, authorities said impairment does not appear to be a factor in the crash, but speed "does appear to be a likely factor."
The person killed in the four-vehicle crash on MC 85 overnight Wednesday, has been identified as 18-year-old Alika Lyau-Goowin according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
MCSO said the crash happened east of the main entrance of the Sedona Peaks apartment complex in Avondale.
Two people were underneath a vehicle attaching tow straps when another vehicle rear-ended one of the vehicles they were working on, according to MCSO.
Others injured during the crash include 23-year-old Marianna Villalobos Lopez and 18-year-old Josiah Gerona. Lopez was taken to Abrazo Hospital in stable condition. Gerona was taken to the Abrazo hospital in critical condition. He was later upgraded to stable condition.
Lyau-Goowin, Lopez and Gerona are students at Universal Technical Institute-Avondale, the school said in a release Thursday.
“There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our students and staff members. We are deeply saddened to learn several of our students were involved this week in an off-campus traffic accident in which one UTI student was killed and two others were injured, including one critically. On behalf of all of us at UTI, we send our sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the students involved, and we will continue to keep them and their loved ones in our thoughts during this difficult time.”
- Adrian Cordova, Campus President, Universal Technical Institute-Avondale
MCSO added that four other people at the scene suffered only minor injuries and weren't taken to a hospital.
The investigation is ongoing and is being investigated by MCSO Vehicular Crimes Detectives.
