Crime
Mother Brenda Estrada jailed after rollover crash along I-17 near Peoria Avenue leaves 9-year-old Alexa Rivera dead
A tragic rollover crash on Interstate 17 in north Phoenix has left a 9-year-old girl dead and led to the arrest of her mother on multiple felony charges, authorities confirmed.
The crash occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. on April 12 along the northbound lanes of I-17 near Peoria Avenue. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the incident involved a single vehicle carrying a mother and her children.
Investigators identified the victim as 9-year-old Alexa Cortez Rivera, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities reported that the child was sharing a seat belt with a sibling at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover.
Three other children—a 1-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy, and an 11-year-old boy—were also inside the vehicle. All three sustained injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital, where they were treated and later released.
The driver, 30-year-old Brenda Liliana Rivera Estrada of Phoenix, was also injured in the crash and taken to the hospital. Following her release, she was taken into custody and booked into jail.
According to investigators, Estrada is accused of driving recklessly and at high speeds while passing other vehicles prior to the crash. During the investigation, troopers reported detecting the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. In court proceedings, officials stated that Estrada admitted to using marijuana the previous day.
Prosecutors expressed serious concern for the safety of the surviving children, alleging that the defendant chose to operate a vehicle while impaired.
Witnesses also reported that the vehicle was traveling above the posted speed limit of 65 mph.
Estrada is now facing charges including manslaughter and child abuse. She is currently being held on a $100,000 bond.
The crash prompted the temporary closure of northbound Interstate 17 for several hours as authorities conducted their investigation.
The case remains ongoing.
MONROE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 27-year-old Monroe Township man has been charged in connection with the death of 15-year-old Trenton Grant and the serious injuries suffered by the teenager’s mother and stepfather following a violent stabbing incident in Monroe Township, Michigan.
Tyson Alexander Grant faces six criminal charges stemming from an incident reported during the early morning hours of Saturday, October 17, in the 1200 block of Raintree Boulevard, according to Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffery A. Yorkey.
The charges include open murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of carjacking, and one count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer or other first responder.
According to the prosecutor’s office, each of the first five charges carries a maximum possible penalty of life in prison. The charge of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer or first responder carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.
Authorities were dispatched to the Raintree Boulevard area on October 17 after receiving a report of a stabbing.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered multiple people suffering from lacerations and stab wounds. They also found the body of 15-year-old Trenton Grant.
Several people were transported to a hospital for treatment. Investigators subsequently began treating the teenager’s death as a homicide.
The incident prompted a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal stabbing and the injuries sustained by the other victims.
Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed the nature of the relationship, if any, between Tyson Alexander Grant and the victims.
According to the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Tyson Alexander Grant is currently hospitalized in Lucas County, Ohio, with injuries stemming from the incident.
Prosecutors intend to seek his extradition to Monroe County after he is discharged from the hospital so the criminal proceedings can move forward.
As of the latest information provided by prosecutors, a date for Grant’s initial court appearance has not been scheduled.
The six charges reflect the allegations filed against Grant. The case remains subject to the judicial process, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Authorities have not provided additional details about the events leading up to the stabbing or the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s injuries.
The investigation and court proceedings are expected to provide further information as the case develops.