Police: 17-year-old arrested after UC student, 18, struck, killed near campus
A 17-year-old boy was arrested Friday in connection with a crash that killed a University of Cincinnati student and injured another earlier this week, according to the Cincinnati Police Department.
The teen, who wasn't named but identified as the driver of the 2014 Honda CR-V, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide as well as several other felonies, police said in a news release.
The Enquirer doesn't name juveniles facing criminal charges until their case is transferred to adult court.
Cayden Turner was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center following the crash where she died, according to Cincinnati police. She was 18.
Namiya Russell, also 18, was injured in the crash and was listed in stable condition Wednesday night. The Cincinnati Fire Department said a third person was transported to the hospital as well. It is unclear if that person was an occupant of the car.
Investigators said a Honda CR-V was traveling north on Jefferson Avenue just before 4 p.m. Wednesday at a high rate of speed and ran a red light before striking the women. The vehicle struck a tree near West Martin Luther King Drive, police said.
"The driver fled on foot from the vehicle," a news release from Cincinnati police states.
The Cincinnati Fire Department reported that the vehicle was suspected to be stolen. Fire officials said one person with minor injuries remained in the car and another three occupants fled.
Joe Mak, 23, a fifth-year architectural engineering student at UC, said he was in the crosswalk at Jefferson and University avenues as Turner and Russell were crossing in the opposite direction.
He said a vehicle came flying through the intersection at high speed. He didn't notice it until someone behind him said to "watch out." He said Russell was clipped by the car and Turner was struck head-on, sending her into the air. She was sent 50-60 feet down the road, he said.
"This shouldn't happen to anyone," Mak said.
In a letter to students and faculty, UC President Neville Pinto confirmed both the women who were struck were UC students.
"I want to share our deepest condolences with the family of our student whose life was taken far too soon. For our injured student, our hopes remain focused on a full recovery," he said.
The Enquirer analyzed crash data from the area around UC and found it was a hotspot in the city for pedestrian crashes. Students and business owners also noted that the streets around UC, including Jefferson Avenue, are dangerous for pedestrians.
"I think UC does a really good job within the campus of making it safe, but as soon as you step off you're surrounded by four really dangerous streets," said Quinn Graessle, 21, a fourth-year civil engineering student at UC. "You have people walking on campus every day cross Jefferson and stuff and it's really scary."
Any witnesses to this crash are asked to contact the Cincinnati Police Department’s Traffic Unit at 513-352-2514.
Enquirer reporter Cameron Knight contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police: 17-year-old arrested after UC student struck, killed
