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On February 23, 2024, shortly before 5:30 p.m., officers from Operations Division South and personnel from the Tucson Fire Department responded to the mobile home community at 1655 W. Ajo Wy. for reports of a collision involving a blue 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe and a juvenile female bicyclist. The bicyclist was transported to Banner University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. After arriving at the hospital, she was pronounced deceased. She has been identified as 7-year-old Leilani Flores. Next of kin has been notified of her passing.
Detectives from the Traffic Investigations Unit responded to the scene to continue the investigation. After conducting interviews and evaluating roadway evidence, detectives determined that the Tahoe was making a left turn to go southbound within the community when it collided with Ms. Flores, who was riding her bicycle northbound on the southbound side of the roadway. The driver of the Tahoe immediately stopped, rendered aid, and cooperated with the investigation.
An officer from the Impaired Driver Enforcement Unit responded and determined that the driver was not impaired by alcohol or drugs at the time of the collision. As the investigation continued, detectives had also learned that Ms. Flores was riding her bicycle with a second juvenile female. The second female sustained minor injuries in the collision.
Ms. Flores and the second bicyclist riding on the wrong side of the roadway is the known contributing factor of the collision. Both bicyclists were not wearing helmets at the time of the collision.
This remains an ongoing investigation and no charges or citations have been issued at this time. Although this collision occurred on private property, the location meets the definition of a "Trafficway" as defined in the Arizona Crash Report Manual and the Manual on Classification of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes (ANSI D.16-2017).
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