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Two-car collision in midtown sends nine to hospital, passenger dies

Passenger succumbs to injuries
Posted at 10:26 AM, Dec 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-26 12:47:04-05

A two-car collision on Friday night has left one person dead after nine people were initially sent to the hospital. 

The man killed in the collision has been identified as 40-year-old William Childers. 

Tucson police have arrested the driver of a Honda Accord that collided with a Chevy Equinox. 

He has been identified as 27-year-old Johnny Angel Gomez and faces multiple charges.

Capt. Barrett Baker of Tucson Fire said they received a call around 11:15 p.m. for a two-car collision at the intersection of Glenn Street and North Castro Avenue. 

One of the cars ended up crashing into a house on the corner of the intersection.

No one was home during the time of the crash, according to Baker.  

Sgt. Kimberly Bay, a spokeswoman for Tucson police, said the Gomez was northbound on Castro at a high rate of speed. 

The Honda had passed a marked TPD vehicle traveling southbound on Castro Avenue. 

The officer then later observed the Honda had collided with a Chevy Equinox. 

Gomez failed to stop for a stop sign at East Glenn and then struck the Equinox that was traveling westbound on Glenn Street, according to Bay.

Bay said the force of the collision pushed the Equinox through a block wall and into the home. 

The Honda had landed on its side and was then pushed back on its tires by citizens before police arrived, according to Bay.

Bay said the Honda had been reported stolen to Tucson police on December 18. 

Crews responded to the scene and used the Jaws of Life to extricate several patients from the vehicles. 

Baker said several patients in the vehicles were unrestrained. 

The adult female driver of the Equinox sustained serious injuries, according to Bay. Two adult male passengers, an adult female passenger and the two-year-old child sustained minor injuries. 

Bay said Gomez, an adult female passenger and another adult male passenger sustained serious injuries.

Childers was transported to the hospital with critical injuries where he later died. 

Police say speed was a factor in this collision. Detectives are investigating if drugs and/or alcohol were also a factor. 

Baker said Building Safety responded to the scene to determine if the house was safe to stay in or not.

It's unclear at this time whether or not the house has been condemned or not. 

Gomez was arrested for Manslaughter, seven counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, 7 counts of Aggravated Assault with Serious Injury, Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation and Criminal Damage over $10,000. 

He was transported and booked into the Pima County Jail upon his release from the hospital.