Woman who struck DPS trooper with SUV while helping suspect escape sentenced to 12 years

A woman accused of striking a DPS trooper with her vehicle last year and helping a fleeing suspect escape was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a class 2 felony.

Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. Christopher Rios pursued a man driving a silver Nissan Altima that sped past him, driving northbound on Interstate 17 around 2:45 a.m. March 6, 2021.

The Altima exited on Cactus Road but the driver lost control of the car, spun out and crashed into the center median. Court documents say Rios chased the suspect on foot when Salina Avila, who was 18 at the time, rammed into Rios from behind in a stolen white Chevrolet Tahoe before pulling up to the suspect and telling them, "Get in, get in!"

Fire crews on a nearby truck "observed Rios disappear under the Tahoe," documents say.

Rios saw the man enter the Tahoe and fired nine shots at the vehicle as it sped eastbound on Cactus Road before calling dispatch and going to a hospital for treatment, documents say.

On background: Trooper was running after suspect when woman ran over him, told suspect 'get in!'

Phoenix police officers were already investigating reports that a white Chevrolet Tahoe had been stolen shortly before the incident and eventually found it near 21st and Larkspur drives.

Phoenix police stopped the Tahoe and Avila got out of the car and collapsed with multiple gunshot wounds before being taken to a hospital, according to court documents. The man Avila picked up wasn't with her when officers arrived at the scene. It's unclear if police ever found the man.

Investigators pulled prints from the Altima and Tahoe and found they belonged to a 25-year-old man.

They later reviewed surveillance footage from the Glendale home where the Tahoe was stolen near 43rd Avenue and Cactus Road, which showed the Altima driving by the home several times before a man got out and broke into a Jeep Wrangler parked on the driveway and stealing a garage door remote.

The man and the Altima left for a short time, then returned and opened the garage door shortly before the Tahoe was seen quickly backing out with both vehicles fleeing the residence, documents say.

Avila was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and theft involving a means of transportation, though the other charges were dropped due to her guilty plea.

More: Woman who struck Arizona trooper with vehicle pleads guilty to aggravated assault

Avila was also sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty second-degree burglary in a separate court case where she faced charges alongside a man named Roger Duarte for crimes that allegedly occurred on Feb. 3, 2021.

It was not immediately clear whether Duarte, who still faces charges of second-degree burglary and misconduct involving weapons, was or had any connection to the man Avila picked up March 6.

Court documents state Avila will serve the one-year sentence concurrently with the 12-year sentence, for which she has a 488-day presentence credit for time served in jail.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PerryVandell.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Woman who struck DPS trooper with SUV in 2021 sentenced to 12 years