A 19-year-old is facing charges after police say he killed three University of Arizona students Thursday night before fleeing the scene in Tucson.
According to the Arizona Daily Star, Louis Artal is facing charges that include second-degree murder (three counts), aggravated assault with serious injury, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
The incident happened at around 11 p.m. Thursday, on North Euclid Avenue at East Second Street in Tucson, as Artal, also a UA student, allegedly sped in a 2019 Porsche Boxster before crashing into three students walking in a marked crosswalk.
Two of the victims, identified as Sophia Akimi Troetel, 21, and Josiah Patrick Santos, 22, died at the scene. A third victim, Katya Castillo-Mendoza, 21, died Sunday after being removed from life support.
Witnesses told police that the Porsche appeared to be going around 30 mph over the legal driving limit in the area. The driver didn’t stop and, instead, turned himself after fleeing the scene and contacting his father for assistance.
In a statement, a Tucson Police Department (TPD) officer with the Impaired Driving Enforcement Unit said that evidence was found that Artal had been impaired at the time of the crash.
“Mr. Artal’s impairment, speeding, and failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk are the major contributing factors of this collision,” the department wrote, according to FOX News Digital. “This investigation remains ongoing, and any additional information may be released at a later date as it becomes available.”
On Friday, at the Pima County Justice Court, Artal appeared for a bail hearing, where loved ones of the victims called him a danger to the community.
Artal did not deny he had been involved, according to his lawyer, 13 News reports. However, his attorney stated that Artal only left the scene to contact his father, who advised him to walk to the police station and turn himself, less than an hour after the incident.
The lawyer added that Artal has no criminal history and that his father plans to rent an apartment in Arizona to watch over him.
“I’m not trying to in any way take away from the seriousness of the offense, but my client got scared and didn’t know what to do,” the attorney said.
The lawyer stated said that Artal’s father had spent “significant resources” to hire an attorney, arguing that Artal would not flee Arizona if granted bail.
Eric Strong, a lawyer and friend of the victims’ families, told the judge there was “evidence of illegal substance” use by Artal, while the victims’ family members said he should be considered a flight risk, since he’s from San Francisco.
“I cannot believe that you drove away and left them there,” Josiah Santos’ mother, Andrea Hope Santos, told Artal in court. “May God have mercy on you.”
Sophia Troetel’s mother said that Artal showed a “complete disregard for law and human life,” and “demands the highest bail allowed.”
Judge Rudy Padilla set bail at $250,000. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Katya Castillo-Mendoza/LinkedIn; Josiah Patrick Santos and Sophia Akimi Troetel/GoFundMe]
