Valley man killed, teen hurt in Laveen crash

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - An early-morning crash in Laveen left a Valley man dead and sent a teenage girl to the hospital. Officers said the impact was so great, parts from the vehicles were seen nearly 300 feet away.

"You get a call in the middle of the night, and you think it's something different, you never think it's something bad, it's just oh you know, I don't know, not so close to home," said the victim's sister, Arthurina Rosario.

For Arthurina Rosario, that call still doesn't seem real, informing her that her 30-year-old brother had died in a head-on collision just off Southern and 67th Avenue. Arthurina adds that she had to see the aftermath with her own two eyes.

"I guess to get closure, to see the last place he was," she said.

Her brother leaves behind a wife and two children, and a void in their family that will never again be filled.

"He was very fun-loving, he was very strong, he was determined, he had lots of goals and ambitions," Arthurina said.

According to police, Arthurina's brother failed to stop at the stop sign, hit an oncoming vehicle and eventually a tree. Arthurina says that although she's dealing with her own grief, she can't help but think of the other driver, a 19-year-old girl, who is expected to be okay.

"Sorry to the other person's family for anything that they might be experiencing or going through and to send them love and health and happiness," she said.

The 19-year-old's injuries were not considered to be serious. Police are calling it a miracle because her car's engine was found several feet away from the crash.