Police: Car was going 103 mph before deadly crash

By Ricardo Torres-Cortez

Published Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018 | 4:23 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018 | 6:42 p.m.

Before blowing through a red light and causing a crash that killed an 8-year-old boy and critically injured a woman, a motorist had accelerated her Chevrolet Camaro to 103 mph, according to a Metro Police report.

As Aylin Alvarez-Perez, 25, approached the traffic signal about 8:30 a.m. Friday, she was only able to slow down to about 81 mph before the violent crash at Eastern and Harmon avenues, police said. The speed limit was 45 mph.

She initially told officers she was running late for work and that the signal on Eastern had just turned from green to yellow when she entered the intersection, police said. But video and the computer in her car told a different story, police said.

The light had been red for about 3 seconds, police said.

The Camaro collided with another car in the intersection, killing the boy, Levi Echenique, and critically injuring a 33-year-old passenger who were in the other vehicle, police said. Three other people were also injured in the three-vehicle wreck, police said.

Visual testing for impairment at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center proved inconclusive because of medication Alvarez-Perez, who suffered minor injuries, was given at the hospital, police said.

But blood was drawn as officers had noticed Alvarez-Perez acting lethargic, and found marijuana in her purse and unspecified central nervous system medication in her car, according to the report.

Amanda Echenique, who set up a fundraising site, wrote on GoFundMe that Levi was on his way to school when the crash occurred. His mother was critically injured and, his father, who was driving the Dodge Avenger he was in, also was hospitalized.

“At the time of the collision, it was morning rush hour and the streets were busy with vehicles and a school just north of where the collision occurred, with parents taking their children to school,” the report said.