Driver impaired by marijuana sentenced for Peoria crash that killed 5
Bjorn Hartzell was traveling about 112 mph in a 40 mph zone when he struck a minivan carrying a family of six. Two adults and three minors were killed. The sole survivor was a minor.
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A man who drove under the influence of marijuana when he was 16, causing a crash that killed five people, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, authorities announced Friday.
Bjorn Hartzell is now 20. He pleaded guilty to five counts of second-degree murder and one count of endangerment in connection with the crash in November 2022, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
“No one expects a routine drive to end in tragedy because another driver chose to speed while impaired,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in the announcement. “Cases like this highlight why reckless and impaired driving remain among the greatest dangers on our roads.”
Only one juvenile survived the November 2022 Thanksgiving collision
Hartzell was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee near 107th Avenue and Lone Cactus Drive in Peoria when he struck a family minivan, prosecutors said.
Minutes before the collision, Hartzell was driving between 112 and 115 mph in a 40 mph zone.
Two adults and four minors who had just left a Thanksgiving get-together were in the van.
The van’s driver, 36-year-old Elizabeth Simpson of Glendale, and front-seat passenger, 31-year-old Jace Hochstetler of Phoenix, were pronounced dead at the scene.
One of the juveniles died shortly after being hospitalized, and two minors later died from their injuries, prosecutors said.
The only survivor from the minivan was a minor.
Hartzell was under the influence of marijuana during the crash, prosecutors said.
“Five lives were lost because of one person’s decisions behind the wheel,” Mitchell said. “While no sentence can undo that loss, we will continue to seek justice for victims and hold dangerous drivers accountable.”
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Comments
3 Comments
" reckless and impaired driving remain among the greatest dangers on our roads.”
Make public transit more enjoyable and make cars inconvenient. How? Buses should pull into plazas like every other vehicle for boarding and unloading, go down every street just like a school bus, frequencies should be 15 minutes or less, and the main hub should be like an airport with services and amenities. It would be less expensive than car ownership and less burdening on the public. Watch crashes like this stop happening. Drivers have repeatedly demonstrated that they can't use the product responsibly.
Great job Arizona legalizing marijuana. How about copying Oregons' policy on hard drugs next? Arizona doesn't have enough problems, right?
Such a sweet, innocent, and harmless little leaf...
until someone plows into you!
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