Police: 2 men killed after being rear-ended by suspected impaired driver

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Two men, just 18 and 19 years old, were killed in a horrific crash Monday morning and police believe the man who hit them was impaired.

"I heard this car zip by and bam, a really loud bang and I came running," Dolores Raleigh said.

Raleigh lives just down the street from where the deadly crash happened at around 2:20 a.m.

"Here on 35th Avenue every week there's an accident, but this one was pretty horrendous," she said.

Phoenix police say 26-year-old Edgar Valenzuela was speeding north on 35th Avenue in a BMW when he and a passenger rear-ended a Honda Civic, killing 19-year-old Rene Martinez and 18-year-old Marcos Valdez Sanchez, who were both inside that vehicle.

"The damage to the Honda Civic was such that the fire department had to use cutting tools to get the individuals who were inside out of that car and at this point it is nearly unrecognizable," Lt. Paul Taylor said.

Lt. Taylor says much of 35th Avenue had to be shut down for the investigation.

"Evidence is strewn in the northbound lanes for a good thousand feet or so," he said.

Valenzuela was detained as police looked into impairment. The passenger of the BMW also remained on the scene for several hours. They both made out with minor injuries.

Valenzuela faces second-degree murder and endangerment charges.

35th Avenue between Dunlap and Peoria remained closed throughout most of the morning as police collected evidence to contribute to their investigation.