A Lyft rider in suburban Phoenix stabbed his pregnant driver, killing the woman and her unborn child before stealing her vehicle and driving nearly 150 miles before being arrested near the California line, authorities said Jan. 28.
Tempe police said Kristina Howato, 39, was in her third trimester of pregnancy and is survived by two other young children.
They say Fabian Durazo, 20, was being held at a La Paz County jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of kidnapping and armed robbery, authorities said.
It was unclear Jan. 28 if Durazo has a lawyer yet who could speak on his behalf.
Howato was working early Jan. 27 as a Lyft driver when she received a pickup request in west Tempe, said Sgt. Ron Elcock, a police spokesman.
Durazo allegedly attacked Howato when they arrived at an apartment complex about a half-mile away and he fled in her SUV.
Police officers responded to the apartment complex about 1:30 a.m. local time after receiving reports of a woman screaming in the parking lot.
They found Howato suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was transported to a hospital where both she and the unborn baby died.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials used GPS tracking to locate the stolen SUV on Interstate 10 near Quartzsite, about 25 miles from the Arizona-California line and Durazo was taken into custody on the afternoon of Jan. 27.
Police said they don’t believe Durazo and Howato knew each other and a motive for the fatal stabbing remains undetermined.
“Throughout our careers as officers, we have incidents that really, really touch our hearts and stay with you throughout your careers,” Elcock said at a news conference. “This is definitely one of those incidents that really is going to affect the police department for a long time.”
Crazed Cyclist Leaps on Uber Roof in Midtown Manhattan, Attacks Driver With Lock
A crazed cyclist attacked an Uber driver with a bike lock before clambering up onto the car roof where he acted out some kind of victory ritual, saluted the sky with a “diamond” gesture associated with rapper Jay Z, and then got back on his bike and cycled off into Midtown Manhattan afternoon traffic.
A video of the incident, which happened on the afternoon of Jan. 18, was released on Jan. 24, by New York Police who said the unknown attacker with dreadlocks is wanted for assault.
The driver was treated in the hospital for a head wound. His windshield and rear window were smashed.
A crazed cyclist attacked an Uber driver with a bike lock before clambering up onto the car roof where he acted out some kind of victory ritual, saluted the sky with a “diamond” gesture associated with rapper Jay Z, and then got back on his bike and cycled off into Midtown Manhattan afternoon traffic.
A video of the incident, which happened on the afternoon of Jan. 18, was released on Jan. 24, by New York Police who said the unknown attacker with dreadlocks is wanted for assault.
The driver was treated in the hospital for a head wound. His windshield and rear window were smashed.
The 23-year-old Uber driver was ferrying two passengers along Fifth Avenue around 1:20 p.m. when the cyclist began to bang on his window, according to NBC New York, for no reason.
The driver tried to get away, pulling away and off onto 40th Street, where he hit traffic.
The cyclist then caught up and smashed the front and rear windshields with his U-lock before turning his makeshift weapon on the driver, who had left the car to escape the broken glass.
One unnamed witness told Action News that the driver’s head was covered in blood.
Action News said that witnesses said that there was an argument between the two prior to the assault.
Stomping and Howling
However, most reports said that according to a police report no words were exchanged during the confrontation—but it is not clear if that refers to the duration of the assault or the entire episode.
The video, taken from inside the car behind, shows the back of the white Kia has been shattered as the man clambers onto the hood and then onto the roof. He then stomps around, and howls and raises his arms, apparently in celebration.
The attacker then turns around 180 degrees to face down the street, bends his knees, then raising his arms so that his hands form a diamond shape, in a gesture very similar to the “Diamond Roc” pyramid shape associated with rapper Jay Z.
He then dusts himself off, before stomping down the hood and then to the road.
The cyclist then simply got on his black and green bicycle and pedaled off, according to most reports, which cite police information.
One witness, however, told Action News, “The driver tackled the guy, let the guy up, and the guy rode away on his bike.”
????WANTED for ASSAULT: black male with long dreads. On 1/18/19 at 1:20 pm in the vicinity of East 40th St & 5th Ave, the suspect used a bicycle lock to break the windows of the victim’s car, then hit the victim in the head with the lock. Any info, call @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/dbNnOQ6yAD
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 24, 2019
The driver was named as Daniel Diez by ABC New York, which reported he had now gone to Puerto Rico to be with his family while he recovers.
According to reports, police describe the suspect as a black male with long dreadlocks, last seen wearing a gray hooded sweater, a black jacket, black sweatpants, black sneakers, and he had on a black backpack.
New York police are asking anyone with information about the suspect and his whereabouts to contact them immediately.
