GLENDALE, AZ — A red-light runner has now been arrested after a Glendale crash in August that killed three young adults.
Glendale police say 22-year-old Carlos Daniel L. Gonzalez was driving a Tesla at more than 80 mph on Bethany Home Road when he ran a red light at 83rd Avenue and hit a vehicle on August 25.
Eighteen-year-old Ariyanna Parsad, her boyfriend, 18-year-old Kiyvon Martin, and their friend, 19-year-old Jazmine Marquez, were in the vehicle that was hit and did not survive.
Gonzalez was transported to the hospital with serious injuries after the crash.
Lab results, which police recently received, allegedly show Gonzalez had THC in his system at the time of the collision.
Gonzalez self surrendered Tuesday and faces three counts of second-degree murder.
In October, the family of the victims spoke with ABC15 and questioned why Glendale police had not yet arrested the red-light runner.
Glendale police responded at the time with the following statement:
"If a case is not investigated thoroughly and an arrest is made without everything completed and all evidence gathered, then a judge will have to release the suspect and the case will either be dropped completely or furthered until an investigation is complete."
A newly-released video shows the Tesla driving at a high rate of speed, headed west when it collided with a Toyota SUV heading north at the intersection of 83rd Avenue and Bethany Home.
The impact leads one car to hit the signal light pole, causing the camera to shake and point in a different direction.
The police affidavit reads Gonzalez “clearly disregarded a red light that had been solid red for several seconds. There was no indication the light was not operating properly and it was operating properly as the first responder arrived.”
ABC 15 asked police why it took so long to hold someone accountable for a crash that left three teens dead.
“The driver was severely injured, so he was at the hospital,” said Sgt. Randy Stewart with Glendale Police.
Not being able to talk with Gonzalez while he was hospitalized slowed down the investigation.
The hospital later alerted police the 22-year-old's blood came back positive for THC.
We're told those results then needed to be sent to a DPS lab which further slowed the process.
“Generally, from what our experience is, you can expect four to six months on something like this,” said Sgt. Stewart.
Court documents state Gonzalez had a medical marijuana card.
Glendale police tell ABC 15 since the legalization of recreational marijuana in Arizona, they're seeing a lot more deadly crashes.
