Two teenagers are now facing serious charges in Arlington after investigators tied them to a March street-racing crash that killed 53-year-old Tanya Cypert. Police say the adult suspect, identified as 18-year-old Adam Hamad, and a juvenile male were arrested yesterday and each faces a charge of racing on a highway causing death. Detectives say they built the case using surveillance footage, witness statements and detailed vehicle data.
Police say vehicle data and video point to high speeds
In a news release posted by the Arlington Police Department, detectives said Hamad was identified as the driver of a 2025 Mercedes-Benz C300 and that a juvenile male driving a separate car was also arrested. According to investigators, the Mercedes airbag control module recorded speeds topping 100 mph, and witnesses, along with surveillance video, showed the juvenile's vehicle traveling at more than 85 mph in a 45 mph zone. Police said the second car was a 2012 Lexus IS and added that they are still looking into whether a third vehicle may have been racing before the collision.
NEWS RELEASE: Arlington PD has arrested two teens in connection to a March 2026 crash that resulted in the death of 53-year-old Tanya Cypert.
— Arlington, TX Police (@ArlingtonPD) April 16, 2026
See our full news release here: https://t.co/Q3ebX5LFtQ pic.twitter.com/mPdrBwxwDp
Crash details and family reaction
The crash happened just after 12:30 p.m. on March 6 at South Cooper Street and Eden Road. Investigators say a northbound Mercedes hit a 2022 Hyundai Tucson that Cypert was turning in, according to local coverage of the wreck. Surveillance video captured two vehicles moving at a high rate of speed seconds before the impact, and Cypert later died at a hospital, as reported by CBS News Texas. Her sons and neighbors told reporters she was a beloved neighbor, left suddenly and painfully at the center of a street-racing case.
Arrests, bookings and next steps
Authorities say the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force tracked both teens to Arlington on April 15 and arrested them without incident. Police reported that each suspect is charged with racing on a highway, causing death. Hamad was booked into the Arlington City Jail, and the juvenile was placed in the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center. Because of his age, police say the juvenile's name will not be released. Arlington investigators say the case is still active as detectives continue to process evidence and interview witnesses, according to the department's release.
Why this matters for neighbors and enforcement
Neighbors told local crews they often hear engines revving late at night and see burnouts along this stretch of road, and in the days after the crash, reporters noted tire marks and fresh damage at the intersection. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported that residents say street racing has become a recurring safety problem in the area. The deadly collision has renewed calls for tougher enforcement. Arlington police have already been running targeted traffic crackdowns under the "Safe Roads Initiative," a program previously outlined in coverage about the Safe Roads Initiative.
Legal implications
Police say both suspects now face criminal charges of racing on a highway, causing death, and will move through separate court tracks, one in the adult system and one in juvenile court. Because one arrestee is underage, Arlington police are not releasing his name, and investigators emphasize that they are still checking evidence and working to identify any other drivers who might have been involved. Officers have asked anyone with dash-cam or cell phone video from the area around the time of the crash to contact Arlington police.
