Tempe, AZ- Officers arrested a driver this afternoon for hitting a teenager with his car early this morning and leaving the scene.

The 16-year-old girl was running against the light on Broadway Road and Country Club Road when she was struck by the driver of an SUV who was traveling west on Broadway Road.

Callers to Tempe 9-1-1 around 6:30 a.m. believed a dark-colored SUV had struck a teenage girl before fleeing the scene.

Officers arrived and found the girl lying on the ground with critical injuries. Tempe Fire and Medical Rescue responded and took the girl to the hospital where remains in critical condition. 

Officers took witness statements and canvassed the area for video surveillance, while operators from the newly-opened Real-Time Operations Center (RTOC) quickly began utilizing traffic camera technology to help in identifying the suspect vehicle that fled the scene. The investigation revealed the suspect was actually driving a white Honda Odyssey.

Within less than 8 hours of the collision, Tempe Vehicular Crimes detectives located the SUV and arrested the driver.

Vicente Diaz Castellanos (48 years-old) was arrested on the following charges:

• 1 count of 28-661 A1 (class 3 felony) Accidents Involving Death or Physical Injury.

  Driver must immediately stop the vehicle.

   

• 1 count of 28-661 A2 (class 3 felony) Accidents Involving Death or Physical Injury.

Driver must remain at the scene of the accident.

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