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Phoenix woman to serve prison time for hitting and killing bicyclist
The incident, which happened in 2017, resulted in the death of Robert Dollar. On October 14, 2022, a judge sentenced Annaleah Dominguez, who was 19 at the time of Dollar's death, to a years-long prison sentence. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett spoke with one of Dollar's friends for reaction to the sentence.
PHOENIX - Five years after a bicyclist was hit and killed near South Mountain, the woman who was behind the wheel at the time learned her fate in court.
The crash that killed Robert Dollar happened in October 2017. According to Phoenix Police officials at the time, Annaleah Dominguez, who was 19 at the time, was driving in the wrong direction up South Mountain to avoid another bicyclist when she struck Dollar.
Dollar was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 36 at the time of his death.
Annaleah Dominguez
According to investigators at the time, Dominguez admitted to officers of recently drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.
On Oct. 14, a judge in Maricopa County sentenced Dominiguez to three years in prison. Under the terms of the plea deal, she pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent homicide.
John Hogen, who was Dollar's friend, said the sentence offered closure to Dollar's family.
"All of his friends and family, we get to share stories that we have, to look at pictures. We don’t get to look forward to this coming Christmas with him or his next birthday. That ended at age 36 in 2017," said Hogen. "It’s hard to say it's justice, because it’s an impossible thing to ever, ever have. However, I think the thing that today offered was closure for Rob's family."
Family, friends set up non-profit following Dollar's death
After Dollar’s death, his friends and family started the foundation, with a mission to raise awareness of road safety for cyclists and drivers.
"Get people to realize that it’s not just a bike. It’s a life," said Hogen, who is also the Vice President of the Rob Dollar Foundation.
According to the CDC, nearly 1,000 cyclists die and over 130,000 are injured in crashes that occur on roads nationwide, every year.
"Let’s take something that’s painful, something that hurts us and has become therapy, in a sense, to stay connected and keep his name alive, and really try to make a change," said Hogen. "What we went through today at the court hearing, and what Rob’s family has gone through for the past five years, nobody should have to endure that."
On Oct. 23, the organization is hosting its 5th annual Rob Dollar ride and bike safety course.
Rob Dollar Foundation
https://www.robdollarfoundation.org