Family devastated after fatal wrong-way crash caused by a man in stolen Amazon vehicle leaves matriarch dead
Family mourns death of matriarch after wrong-way crash
Family matriarch dead after a Phoenix crime spree that resulted in two stolen Amazon delivery vehicles and a fatal wrong-way crash. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean has the details.
PHOENIX - A family is mourning the loss of its matriarch tonight as a man sits behind bars after allegedly causing her death in a wrong-way crash this week.
Elizabeth Ramos was just trying to get to work Wednesday night when a man named Isaiah Sparks disregarded a wrong-way sign, crashing into the car she was in at 16th and Jefferson streets.
Her family waits for justice for her death.
"This collision caused the death of a person," said a Maricopa County judge as Sparks behind a podium.
Seven charges against him in the fatal wreck he reportedly caused Wednesday night near downtown Phoenix.
The state, sharing evidence that Sparks was traveling three times the speed limit.
"Where the defendant was actually driving on Jefferson Street is technically a residential area. So it's a 25 mile per hour zone. The detectives were able to do CDR analysis. So they were able to download the airbag control module of the vehicle and learn that about four seconds prior to the collision, the defendant was traveling 74 miles per hour," prosecutors said.
Elizabeth Ramos (left) (Photo from GoFundMe) and Isaiah Sparks as seen during his court appearance.
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After the impact, evidence shows Sparks fled the scene.
"He did not render any aid to the victims. He did stay and call 911 or help any other civilians that were there rendering aid to victims," prosecutors said.
One of the victims, Ramos, died from her injuries.
Her family was not ready to speak about her death yet, but pointed us to a GoFundMe that says Elizabeth was the heart of her family.
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Meanwhile, prosecutors say the vehicle Sparks was in when he hit Ramos was stolen earlier that day.
"The collision happened about nine o'clock at night, around 2:30 p.m. the vehicle that the defendant was traveling in was stolen by a person who was matching the defendant's description. That vehicle was stolen from a woman who was working essentially as an Amazon driver, but in her own vehicle delivering packages. When she went to deliver a package to a home, she left the vehicle running and the defendant stole that vehicle," said prosecutors.
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Then, a separate Amazon delivery driver reports a stolen vehicle.
"Thankfully, she had left her cell phone in the vehicle. So she was actually able to track the location of where the vehicle was located. When law enforcement arrived at that location, they found the defendant in that vehicle," prosecutors say.
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Prosecutors say they consider Sparks a danger to the community and a flight risk.
"He fled the scene after a fatal collision. He fled after he stole that second vehicle from law enforcement," the said.
Sparks' bond sits at $250,000 cash only.
His next court date is set for May 8.