The Glendale community is grieving after 21-year-old Tony Marie Gonzales was killed in a hit-and-run crash Monday night. Her family is now seeking justice. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Tony's fiancé, Ira Smallcanyon, has shared heart-wrenching details about their last moments together as the couple was engaged just hours before the harrowing incident.
As reported by ABC15, on that fateful Monday night near 71st Avenue and Bell Road, Gonzales and Smallcanyon were walking together when she was hit by an unidentified driver and thrown several feet upon impact, Smallcanyon, witnessing the tragic event, recalled the desperation of the moment saying, "these are her scratch marks from when she was holding on to me."
Gonzales, a mother of two and a member of the Navajo Nation, is remembered by her family for her spirit and the love she had for her children. "Tony faced challenges in her young life, but she never let them define her," her mother, Amy James, conveyed in a eulogy, the text of which was shared with ABC15. The goal for Gonzales' family is to return her to her home state of New Mexico, where she can be laid to rest.
Smallcanyon is determined to keep Gonzales' memory alive for their children he, in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, promised to share the countless good memories and stories of their mother, and he emphasized the gaping void left by this tragedy, saying "You took my best friend, my confidant, the better half of me there's a hole in my heart that's irreplaceable."
The Glendale Police Department is urging anyone with information about the hit-and-run driver to come forward and provide assistance in the ongoing investigation, those who may know something can contact the department at 623-930-3000 or reach out to Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377). In addition, a GoFundMe has been established to support Gonzales' family during this difficult time; details for which can be found via ABC15.
