Fatal collision 13, July 2009

Phoenix Police:
There was a fatal collision just after 9:30A.M. this morning at 51st Avenue and Cactus Road.

All the following information is from Phoenix Police Department Vehicular Crimes Unit investigators:

A gray 2005 Kia van driven by 57 year old Ronald Denton Grotjan was south bound in the curb lane on 51st Avenue, failed to stop for the red light, and collided with the 1998 white Honda Civic driven by a 69 year old woman that was east bound on Cactus Road on a green light.

The front seat passenger in the Honda Civic, 83 year old Frances Eggen, was taken to a hospital but, tragically, died.

Grotjan was impaired (investigators believe on drugs) and tried fleeing the scene. His vehicle quit running once and he got it started and drove off again but it quit once more. Witnesses stopped him and kept him at the scene south of the accident until officers arrived.

After an investigation at the scene, investigators had Grotjan booked into jail for manslaughter, endangerment, and leaving the scene of the collision.