SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 21, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A woman was arraigned Wednesday on charges including manslaughter in the December 2022 car crash that killed Rosa Elena Mendez.
The wreck the night of Dec. 26, 2022 occurred at 600 N. 900 W in Salt Lake City shortly after Eastyn Tueller had reached a speed of nearly 100 mph after running a red light, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department, which posted the news online Wednesday night of her charging and arrest.
The crash critically injured the 61-year-old Mendez. Paramedics took her to the hospital where she later died.
Investigation started at 10:42 p.m. on Monday, December 26, 2022, when an SLCPD bike officer came across the crash at 600 N 900 W. Tueller was 19 years old at the time.
“Detectives with the Collision Analysis Reconstruction (CAR) Team identified Tueller as the person responsible for the crash.”
Detectives during the investigation worked with the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office which filed charges Feb. 16.
Tueller was arrested that day and booked into the Salt Lake County on charges of manslaughter; negligently operating a vehicle resulting in death; negligently operating a vehicle resulting in serious bodily injury; reckless driving; unlawful purchase, possession, consumption by a minor; driving on a denied license; open container/drinking alcohol in a vehicle; red light violation; speeding and failure to obey traffic control device.
The CAR Team is a multi-jurisdictional crash team that investigates crashes involving serious physical injuries or death.
Members of the CAR Team receive specialized training, police said, in collision examination, speed analysis, vehicle dynamics, occupant kinematics, scene photography, surveying equipment, crash scene mapping, evidence collection and computer aided drawing programs.
