A teen has been charged in the deadly wrong-way DUI crash on Interstate 65 that killed a Hoover wife and mother.
Authorities late this afternoon announced charges against 19-year-old Pedro Ivan Rico Mendoza. He lives in Pelham, and now is charged with one count of reckless murder, two counts of first-degree assault and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, said Hoover police spokesman Lt. Keith Czeskleba.
Killed in the crash was 34-year-old Crystal Lavonne Ponder, whose own mother was killed in a traffic crash when she was younger. Her husband was treated and released from the hospital. Her 7-year-old son was seriously injured and remains hospitalized, but is expected to survive, Czeskleba said.
The family was heading back to their Riverchase home after taking Ponder's sister to the airport.
The crash happened at 3:45 a.m. on I-65 southbound between Alford Avenue and Montgomery Highway. Czeskleba said a silver Chevrolet Cruze was driving northbound in the southbound lanes and hit a Honda Accord. The Honda was then struck by a black Chevrolet Cruze. The driver of the first Cruze- now identified as Mendoza - got out of his vehicle and fled on the foot, Czeskleba said.
Ponder was pronounced dead on the scene at 4:01 a.m. Her husband, the driver, and her young son were both hospitalized. The driver and passenger from the black Chevrolet Cruze were also taken to UAB, both with minor injuries.
Mendoza was taken into custody after officers, some with tracking dogs, searching the area found him walking on Alford Avenue. He denied being the driver of the vehicle, but reportedly showed physical signs of having been in a wreck.
Authorities said at least one police agency had been made aware of the wrong-way motorist and were trying to find him to get the car stopped prior to the crash. Czeskleba said Mendoza was under the influence of alcohol. He may have been going the wrong way from as far away as Pelham.
Investigators are still trying to determine Mendoza's immigration status. Court records show he received multiple traffic citations in 2015, many of which took place on I-65. In one case, he was clocked doing 92 miles per hour on I-65 near U.S. 31. Other citations include a separate speeding ticket, driving without a license and driving without insurance.
Mendoza also was arrested in September 2015 for possession of methamphetamine. That case has not yet gone to trial.
Mendoza will be held in the Jefferson County Jail with bond set at $100,000.
The investigation is still ongoing. "This is a horrible tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the Ponder family,'' Czeskleba said.