MESA, AZ — "Ever since she was a little kid, she's been this bubbly, goofy kind of kid," said Shayne Tadlas. He’s the uncle to 23-year-old Karen Maldonado.
Tadlas said Wednesday afternoon his niece was on her way home. "She was with her boyfriend coming back. They were driving two separate cars. She didn't want to drive the freeway."
Maldonado was stopped at the intersection of Stapley Drive and Southern Avenue. Tadlas says she was, "Just sitting at the light, waiting for the light to change. And then because of that, everybody's life changed in an instant."
Maldonado was rear-ended and killed in an eight-car crash.
The City of Mesa recently completed a federally funded project to make this dangerous intersection safer.
ABC15 met with local businesses before Maldonado was killed that believed those improvements were insufficient.
Tadlas said, “Whatever can be done the right way to have the intersection more safe would be something that I'm trying... I'm hoping... I think we're all hoping to come from this interview, Karen's story to be part of that."
Thursday, the City of Mesa told ABC15 they try to reduce serious injury or fatal crashes through several avenues, looking at short-term and long-term projects.
With tears in his eyes, Tadlas said, “I don't know, people make these decisions about the intersection, they may not have gone through something like this. And I hate to wish it upon them. But maybe that's what it would take to get them to stand up and look at what's happening.”
We reached back out to the City of Mesa, asking if the city would consider revising or adding more safety measures. ABC15 will let you know what the city says when we hear back.
“I would hope that someone listens,” Tadlas said. “Someone tells somebody else. Someone just gets something done."
Maldonado's family has set up a Gofundme to help with funeral costs.