On Friday, July 24th, 2015 at 9:50 a.m. the Pinal County Sheriff’s 9-1-1 Communications Center received calls for a serious rollover accident with injuries on Eleven Mile Corner Road just north of Randolph Road in the City of Coolidge. The driver and front seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle.
Due to the seriousness of the accident, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Vehicular Crimes Unit responded and took over the investigation.
Kassandra Guerrero, age 19, of Casa Grande, was driving a 2007 Cadillac northbound on Eleven Mile Corner Road north of Randolph Road. In the vehicle with her in the front seat was passenger Irvania Zarate Sandoval, age 18, of Coolidge. Neither Kassandra nor Irvania were wearing their seatbelts. In the rear seat of the vehicle were three young children ages 2, 3 and 8 months. All three of them were properly restrained.
Kassandra attempted to pass two vehicles which were traveling at a slower speed in front of her. In the process of passing, the lead vehicle moved to its left to avoid a bicyclist who was on the eastside of the road. When the lead car moved over, Kassandra drove her vehicle off the west shoulder of the road and in doing so, hit some loose gravel. Kassandra attempted to correct and come back onto the road. This caused the vehicle to spin and she lost control. The vehicle rolled several times and Kassandra and Irvania were both ejected.
The first deputy on scene accessed the injuries and immediately called for two air ambulances because of the serious injuries sustained by both Kassandra and Irvania when they were ejected from the vehicle. Both were flown to trauma hospitals and admitted for their injuries.
The children were checked by medical personnel and then released to other family members.
Sheriff Paul Babeu stated, “Detectives said that alcohol and or drug impairment was not a factor but rather speed and the in ability of Kassandra to control her vehicle caused this accident. Seatbelts undoubtedly save lives. In this case, the children walked away from this crash unharmed because they were properly restrained.
Kassandra and Irvania may have done the same had they only been wearing their seatbelts. We wish them both a speedy recovery.”