Texas Country singer Kylie Rae Harris was reportedly driving at more than 100 mph at the time of a fatal automobile accident that killed her and 16-year-old Maria Elena Cruz in New Mexico earlier this month.
The singer was on her way to the Big Barn Dance in Taos, New Mexico. She was 30 years old.
Following an investigation, the Taos Sheriff’s Office alleges that Kylie Rae Harris was driving a Chevrolet Equinox at 102 mph when she rear-ended a Chevrolet Avalanche in her lane. Harris then swerved into oncoming traffic in the other lane at 95 mph before colliding head-on with Cruz’s Jeep SUV. Cruz was traveling at 51 mph.
Harris and Cruz were both found dead at the scene. The driver in the Chevrolet Avalanche was unharmed.
Cruz’s father, Pedro Cruz, a Taos County firefighter and EMT, responded to the scene, where he found his daughter dead upon arrival.
Image courtesy of Taos County Sheriff’s Office
“The information from the data boxes supports our at-scene investigation that two collision events occurred involving the three vehicles and that speed was definitely a contributing factor,” Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said in a statement.
The Sheriff’s Office says intoxication may have also contributed to the crash, but officials are still awaiting a toxicology report.
According to Fox News, Kylie Rae Harris was arrested in June of 2017 for driving under the influence, with records indicating she had a BAC over 0.15, almost twice the legal limit.
Image courtesy of kylierh/Instagram
Harris’s mother, Betsy Cowan, told People Magazine that Harris struggled with alcohol, but may simply have been exhausted at the time of the crash.
“If you’ve ever had to take defensive driving, they say sleep deprivation, emotions and alcohol are the top three contributors to most wrecks. And so any one of those things could have done it … She had driven 11 or 12 hours that day, and I’m sure that she was exhausted and she was emotionally exhausted.”
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Source: Taos News
Comments
That would be a terrible scene to come across as a parent and I’m sorry for everyone’s loss.
As for Ms. Cruz, she appeared to be a very pretty woman and was no doubt a gifted singer as well. However, being exhausted or drunk is no excuse for killing one’s self and that of the young passenger. What it is is premeditated murder. Driving that fast under any circumstance is dangerous, and she is lucky she did not kill more people.
f you’re driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or are tired, get off the road.
If you know of someone that’s partaking in behavior such as the late Ms. Cruz, you’re just as responsible for the carnage that occurs as the driver. Please speak out against it, or your own child may be taken from you someday.
Harris was the one driving fast. Ms. Cruz was in the opposite lane just driving when Harris struck her vehicle.
Also no, it isn’t premeditated murder. Premeditated murder is when you plan out the murder of someone. It’s actually Aggravated Vehicular Homicide.
You’re right, my mistake. Thank you for pointing that out.
Just another sad case of a drunk taking more innocent lives and their own.
I never hear of this girl and what she looked like makes no difference. She took an innocent life from another family and now they pay the price for it.
Alcohol is not a illness it is a addiction started by choice. In fact it is a selfish addiction. We need to stop letting drunks play the victim and try to get them to wake up.
My grandfather was an Alcoholic yet he was able to change his life. He still paid for much of the damage he did but he made a choice to face it and put his trust in God vs a bottle.
In the end he worked with orphaned kids and made a difference in the lives of others.
He would have told you he was not I’ll just stupid and addicted.
The Equinox was never designed to be driven that fast! I have a 2009 Equinox and I never drive it over 60. It is a midsized SUV or CUV and its purpose is simple passenger and light cargo carrying, not as a speedster. For that you need a Camaro or a Corvette! The survival of the Equinox is proof that modern safety design can help save lives, but she over did its limits. If she was doing 70 MPH or less, both women would have survived.
Raymond, I am glad you have the option of other vehicles from which to chose.
However I am disagreement of your comment, which is based on a 10 year old NOX. I live in rural AZ and travel State Rts, 260, 277, and 89, among others, and Interstate 40 quite regularly.While I-40 has a 75 MPH limit, most of the state highways are 65. My 2019 is very capable and cruising for hours on end at those speeds in comfort. The NOX even handles the curves on the state roads very nicely, in fact better I had anticipated.
Other important factors are the lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, front collision alert, and blind spot monitoring. After the 3 hour trip from Phoenix to home the NOX delivers me refreshed and relaxed. Taking the same roads in a 2014 Chevy SS or 2002 Z28 I found I needed a nap as soon as I parked the cars.
Granted, 100 in an Equinox is extreme but to limit one to 60 makes little sense.
“..She had driven 11 or 12 hours that day, and I’m sure that she was exhausted and she was emotionally exhausted.” Then why did she drive? Anyone in their senses would go to a local hotel and sleep it off!
Life is often not that convenient. Also, after that long driving, one’s senses are surely compromised.
The world is full of stupid people.
Now some regulator will try to come up with engineering controls for stupidity.
It’s the nut behind the wheel!
Another drunken moron behind the wheel.