Phoenix authorities have taken 21-year-old Luis Zuno Ybarra into custody following a devastating hit-and-run collision that claimed one life and injured several others near downtown Phoenix. The tragic incident unfolded on Sept. 26 at the intersection of 19th Avenue and Roosevelt Street. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, arriving officers discovered three vehicles damaged from the crash. The victims included three adults and two children, who were subsequently transported to a hospital for care.
Identified among the injured was 67-year-old Enrique Cortez, who succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Adding a further grim note to the event, while still fighting for their lives, the four remaining victims are currently in serious condition but are expected to survive. AZfamily.com reports that after the collision, Ybarra—the driver of a gray Nissan Sentra implicated as a key factor in the crash—had abandoned his vehicle and fled the scene.
Following the incident, Zuno Ybarra was arrested on Sept. 30, as stated by Phoenix Police. The authorities were aided by witness descriptions and surveillance footage from nearby business locations, which helped them track down Ybarra. Upon being found, Ybarra admitted his involvement in the crash, revealing he had fled "because he got scared," citing it as his first accident and panicking due to his lack of a driver's license, as noted by AZfamily.com. The suspect awaits judicial proceedings at the Maricopa County jail on a $100,000 bond.
