An Arizona resident, who was sought by authorities in Chicago, was identified as the driver of a fatal collision on Interstate 17 (I-17) in Phoenix Sunday morning, Oct. 8th. The incident occurred just after 5:30 p.m. when the driver of a vehicle lost control and collided with a concrete wall on the right shoulder of the northbound I-17, just south of Camelback Road off-ramp. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s preliminary investigation, a female passenger was ejected from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. DPS identified the victim as 24-year old Verennice Mastache of Phoenix. DPS troopers found the suspected driver in a neighborhood near the scene.
The suspect was identified as 24-year old Jaime Muro also from Phoenix. After his arrest, Muro admitted that he had been drinking until about 2 a.m. that morning and was driving the vehicle. According to Muro, he lost control when Mastache, his girlfriend, unintentionally struck the steering wheel. Muro found her behind the vehicle, after she was ejected from the vehicle, and he admitted to placing her in the back seat. After being booked into Maricopa County Jail, Muro was discovered to be a fugitive of justice with multiple felony warrants out of Chicago. He is being held on $1,000,000 cash bond. Muro is expected to be charged with 1 count of manslaughter in the death of Mastache, and charged with fleeing the scene of a deadly accident. I-17 northbound was closed at Indian School Road for several hours as troopers investigated, but was subsequently reopened a few hours later.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto collision, Accident Lawyer Arizona strongly encourages you to call our car accident professionals at (877) 791-4777 for a free consultation. Our highly skilled and experienced lawyers will provide you with the best legal representation and guidance that you need. Our offices are conveniently located in the Phoenix Metropolitan area and we conduct regular travels in the state to meet with clients. Reach out to us directly to speak with a car accident lawyers whenever you need one!
