After pleading guilty to one count of Second-Degree Murder, a deadly drunk driver, Andrew Ramirez-Perez, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, in September of 2024, Perez was observed by two Department of Public Safety troopers driving at a high rate of speed in the HOV lane heading eastbound on Interstate 10. As the troopers followed Perez, they saw him weaving in and out of traffic lanes before crashing into a motorcycle. The motorcycle and his vehicle caught fire. The motorcyclist, 42-year-old Craig Cooper died.
At the time of the fatal crash, it is estimated Perez was driving over 125 miles per hour in a 65 mile per hour zone. Perez had an open container in the backseat, and his BAC was almost twice the legal limit.
“There is no amount of justice that can bring back a loved one who was lost in such a sudden and tragic way,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “The best we can do is ensure that this reckless disregard for life does not go unpunished. Thanks to the work of our prosecutor, Brianna Stutz, this defendant has been held accountable.”
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