Tragic twist in death of music star Kylie Rae as father of killed teen among first responders
A country singer who died in a crash was responsible for her own death and that of a 16-year-old girl, according to police.
Country singer Kylie Rae Harris died in a three-car crash in New Mexico on Wednesday.
A teen named as Maria Elena Cruz also died.
Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe told local reporters that investigators believe she caused the crash and that speed appeared to be a contributing factor when the music star clipped the back of another vehicle, sending her own vehicle into oncoming traffic.
She then crashed head-on into an SUV driven by Maria. The teen died at the scene.
“At this time, I will say with most certainty that Miss Cruz was an innocent victim of this senseless crash caused by Ms Harris,” the sheriff said.
The responding emergency crew included Maria’s father, Pedro Cruz, the deputy chief of the San Cristobal Volunteer Fire Department.
Authorities also have said evidence at the crash scene indicated alcohol may have been involved, though they declined to provide details. They were awaiting a toxicology report from the coroner’s office.
Harris, 30, had a prior DWI conviction in Collin County, Texas, in 2017 and had been ordered to install an ignition interlock device on her vehicle, according to court records, The Taos News reported.
A GoFundMe page for Maria has remembered her as “the most sweetest, loving, incredible human ever”.
“Maria was an innocent girl and was gone too soon,” it reads.
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