Phoenix police have arrested an unlicensed teen driver in a DUI accident that left a 5-year-old boy dead, The Arizona Republic reports.
Pedro Ramirez has been charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, and extreme DUI for the crash that killed Angel Alvarez. The boy's mother, 21-year-old Evangelina Barrios, has also been arrested for failing to secure the boy in a child safety seat.
On April 30, Ramirez allegedly tried to pass a car in front of him while driving a white sedan north on 37th Avenue. His sedan then crashed head-on into a Chevrolet truck that was driving south on 37th Avenue.
Alvarez was sitting in the front seat of the sedan without a seatbelt on, according to police. The boy reportedly hit the dashboard during the accident.
Alvarez was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the scene. Ramirez, Barrios and her son were taken to a nearby hospital, but the boy died later at a trauma center. The driver of the truck was wearing his seatbelt and suffered only minor injuries.
Under Arizona's criminal code, manslaughter is defined as "recklessly causing the death of another person." Prosecutors often charge individuals with vehicular manslaughter after they kill someone while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If the court finds that Ramirez's conduct was a "gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation," he may be convicted of manslaughter.
On Wednesday, Police arrested Evangelina Barrios on suspicion of child abuse for failing to restrain Angel Alvarez in one of the car's three child safety seats. Pedro Ramirez is currently in jail, awaiting a hearing.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix DUI Attorney (FindLaw)
- Pedro Ramirez ID'd by Police as Drunk Driver in Head-on Crash That Killed a 5-Year-Old (Phoenix New Times)
- Arizona DUI Laws (FindLaw)
- DUI Charges (FindLaw)
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