DPS: Mother, 5-year-old son killed in crash along Phoenix freeway

PHOENIX (FOX 10) - Authorities say a mother and her 5-year-old son where killed in a chain-reaction crash along a Phoenix freeway on Monday night.

According to Trooper Kameron Lee with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the crash happened on southbound State Route 51 near Highland at 5:52 p.m., when a gray 2003 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by 34-year-old Edgar Ramos-Esteban rear-ended a blue 2005 Kia sedan.

DPS says 31-year-old Jennifer Vegtel and her 5-year-old son were inside the Kia and were killed in the collision.

The impact from this crash caused a chain-reaction crash, sending the Kia into the back of a blue 2015 Volkswagen, driven by a 48-year-old man.

The impact from that crash caused the Volkswagen to crash into a white 2018 Isuzu, driven by a 49-year-old man.

The 49-year-old driver of the Volkswagen was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries.

"It looks like this is one of those situations where a driver was distracted, was not able to stop in time for traffic stopped in front of him, and unfortunately, we see the results," said Trooper Kameron Lee with DPS.

Meanwhile, the Vegtel family are dealing with the tragedy.

"We just don't know what we are going to do," said Angela Vegtel. "We are inconsolable with grief, but right now, we cannot deal with it."

DPS says Ramos-Esteban was cited at the scene.

GoFundMe for family of Jenn and Logan Vegtel
https://www.gofundme.com/jenn-and-logan-vegtel