KINGMAN – Traffic accident dynamics and social communication technology are in focus at trial involving a deadly rear-end collision in Lake Havasu City. Attorneys presented opening statements Monday in the trial of Alexander Perreira, 26, at the Mohave County Law and Justice Center in Kingman.
Perreira faces two manslaughter counts and a criminal damage charge stemming from the collision on April 28, 2023. There’s no dispute that Perreira was driving a 2017 passenger vehicle southbound on highway 95 when it struck the back end of a 25 ft. long gooseneck trailer being towed by a one-ton pickup truck.
Perriera’s back seat passenger, Mason Coon, 22, Lake Havasu, was dead at the scene of the accident. Front seat passenger Cynthia Bedford, 22, California died following transport to Havasu Regional Medical Center.
Perreira was seriously injured and was in critical condition when flown to Sunrise Hospital for treatment in Las Vegas.
Claerhout told the jury that the heavy-duty pickup truck was being driven back to Lake Havasu from a Kingman repair shop when it began losing power and speed at the incline along the highway near the Western Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy. The prosecutor said there was no shoulder along the right side of the highway, so its driver tried to position the truck and trailer assembly in the middle turn lane to be clear of traffic.
Claerhout said about one foot of the trailer was still in the fast lane when it was struck from behind by the sedan. She alleged that Perreira used his cell phone to take selfies of himself and transmit them to his girlfriend while driving just before the crash.
Claerhout told the jury that the mix of the cellphone distraction, a speed of 68 miles an hour one second before the crash and no breaking by the defendant constitute the recklessness required for conviction.
Defense attorney Virginia Crews told the jury that she’ll be contesting Claerhout’s account of the taking and transmission of pictures. She said an image was sent to the defendant’s girlfriend via instant messaging and that she’ll present a Facebook expert to counter the state argument about the timing of transmission.
Crews asked the jury to consider that the tragic incident was merely an accident and not of criminal nature. The trial before Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle is expected to continue into Friday.
Dave Hawkins
