Loved ones devastated over death of daughter in crash on Loop 101
PHOENIX - The family of a Mesa woman killed in a crash on the Loop 101 on Feb. 19 is remembering her.
Loved ones of 24-year-old Yarinet Rodriguez are devastated.
"Knowing the way she passed, it hurts," said Yarinet's sister-in-law, Melisa Gutierrez.
On Feb. 19, Rodriguez was ready to ride her new motorcycle.
"She was excited because she had just got it. She had just got the plates for it. She was gonna go to work, maybe show it off," said Gutierrez.
DPS officials say a car rear-ended Rodriguez at around 4:30 a.m. on the Loop 101, near McDowell Road in Scottsdale. The impact threw Rodriguez off the motorcycle before she was hit by another car.
Both drivers involved stayed at the scene, and impairment is not believed to be a factor.
Rodriguez's father, Herasto Rodriguez, woke up to authorities at his door.
"It was really early in the morning when they showed up, so they weren't even awake yet," said Gutierrez. "For them to tell them this happened, is this your daughter? And you know, once you see the police officer, you have a feeling something bad happened."
Rodriguez says his daughter was always happy, and he and his wife just saw her the night before. Loved ones still can't believe it, and they still have to tell Rodriguez's four-year-old daughter she's not coming back.
"Just knowing they're not even gonna be able to see her the way they saw her the day before, it's more devastating for them," said Gutierrez.