3-year-old Anna killed in Tucson car accident, police say
22-year-old Christian Isaiah Randall and a 16-year-old boy face endangerment and aggravated assault charges after high-speed collision splits turning vehicle in half
3-year-old Anna was killed and her pregnant mother was seriously injured in a car accident involving accused street racers at Valencia Road and Country Club Road in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, on Friday, April 10, according to the Tucson Police Department.
Christian Isaiah Randall, 22, and a 16-year-old boy were arrested and charged with second-degree murder, endangerment and aggravated assault. Investigators determined Randall was driving a Hyundai Genesis and racing the teenager's Dodge Charger at excessive speeds when the Genesis struck the victims' turning Toyota Camry, splitting it in half.
The toddler, who was properly restrained in a car seat, died at the scene. Her mother, who is nine months pregnant, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.
The teenager fled the crash site but was later tracked to a home and booked into the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center. Randall suffered minor injuries and is being held at the Pima County Adult Detention Complex on a $500,000 bond.
Why are intersection crashes involving extreme speeds so destructive?
The devastating loss of a child and the severe injury of a pregnant spouse in a preventable street racing crash leaves a family facing unimaginable grief. While the criminal justice system pursues second-degree murder charges against the drivers, the surviving father and husband must handle a separate civil process to secure the resources needed for his wife's recovery and his family's future. In intersection crashes such as this, the extreme velocity of the racing vehicles leaves turning drivers with no time to react. National Legal Analyst Cristina Perez, Attorney at Perez Law Group, noted that "When I hear about intersection crashes, I think of the families left behind. Most people don't know that left-turn collisions account for over twenty percent of all fatal intersection accidents."
How does a criminal street racing charge impact civil liability?
In catastrophic collisions involving multiple at-fault drivers, the combined auto insurance policies of the street racers may still be insufficient to cover the immense medical costs and wrongful death damages. Families often must look to their own Uninsured/Underinsured drivers (UM/UIM) coverage to bridge the gap, while also exploring negligent entrustment claims against the parents of the minor driver. When analyzing side-impact wrecks caused by reckless driving, National Legal Analyst Gabe Miller, Attorney at Perez Law Group, observed that "What most people miss about side-impact wrecks is the lack of protection. Even with side airbags, there isn't much metal between you and an oncoming car at an intersection, which is why these "T-bone" crashes are so devastating."
Arizona wrongful death statute
Under A.R.S. § 12-611, surviving family members of a person killed in a traffic collision may file a wrongful death action in Arizona. The state applies pure comparative fault when determining liability. The statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages under Arizona's wrongful death statute may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship and consortium, funeral and burial expenses, and the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering. Arizona law designates specific parties — typically a surviving spouse, children, or parents — as eligible to bring a wrongful death action.