Single Vehicle Crash Leads to Homicide Investigation
January 17, 2012
On January 13 at 11:23pm, Mesa Police were dispatched to a
report of a single-vehicle traffic collision into a residential
structure located at 7 E. McLellan Road. The reporting party
stated the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was still
inside the vheicle and gasping for air. When officers arrived at
the scene, they found a Chevrolet pickup in the front yard of
the dispatched address, up against the residence, with the
vehicle's engine running and all the doors locked. Officers
gained entry to the vehicle by breaking the driver's side window
and were able to remove the victim from the vehicle. When Mesa
Fire began treating the victim, they discovered he had a stab
wound to his chest. The victim, an adult Hispanic male, was
transported to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital, where he was later
pronounced dead.
Working over the weekend, detectives have identified the victim
as Ramon Medina-Gutierrez, age 35, of Phoenix. Witnesses
reported that prior to the accident, the victim's vehicle was
traveling south on Center approaching McLellan and suddenly
swerved to the left, across the northbound lanes and into the
residence. As a result of the collision, a brick was propelled
through a front window of the residence and a child was cut from
the shattered glass. The cut was minor and no other injuries
were reported.
Investigators currently have very little information as to where
the victim was when he was stabbed and no suspect information.
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact
Mesa Police at 480-644-2211 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.