The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a collision that occurred on October 23, 2019 just after midnight, that took the life of an 18-year-old Universal Technical Institute-Avondale student.
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, a disabled car was stopped in the eastbound lanes of Buckeye Road, with two other vehicles pulled off to the side as those drivers tried to assist the broken down vehicle.
Alika Lyau-Goodwin and 18-year-old Josiah Gerona were underneath the vehicle securing tow straps when a driver traveling eastbound rear-ended the group of cars, causing a four-vehicle pile-up.
At that time 23-year-old Marianna Villalobos Lopez was driving a red 2013 Dodge Charger and was traveling eastbound on Buckeye Road, when he collided with the vehicles. A total of seven people were involved in the accident.
Marianna was taken to Abrazo Hospital in stable condition.
Lyau-Goowin was taken to the Abrazo Hospital in critical condition where he was pronounced deceased.
Josiah Gerona was taken to the Abrazo hospital in critical condition where he was upgraded to stable condition.
The other four parties at the scene suffered only minor injuries and were not transported.
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, “Impairment does not appear to be a factor in this collision, however speed does appear to be a likely factor in the collision.”
