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Early morning crash kills Highland teen
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Manuel Contreras-Galdean
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Kelly Tracy
Mesa police suspect a drunken driver caused a collision that killed a 16-year-old Highland High School band student and injured her 17-year-old brother early Saturday while they were driving to appear in the Gilbert Days Parade.
Police have not yet released the names of the teenagers but have arrested 32-year-old Manuel Contreras-Galdean on charges related to manslaughter and aggravated assault in the 6:30 a.m. crash at Guadalupe and Sossaman roads, said police spokesman Ed Wessing.
The girl was transported to a local hospital but died at 10 a.m., Wessing said.
He said reports of the student’s death reached her band mates Saturday.
“The kids were very upset — traumatized,” Wessing said.
A family friend later identified the girl as Kelly Tracy. Her brother, Matt Tracy, was released from the hospital.
Highland High students were invited to a 6 p.m. Saturday prayer service at City of Grace Church for the Tracy family, who were not in attendance, according to pastor Judith Crist. She said the family attends the church.
Just before 6 p.m., dozens of students and parents dressed in black band T-shirts walked through the church doors arm-in-arm.
The church reserved a special area for them.
Authorities were investigating the collision late Saturday. Police said Contreras-Galdean turned left in front of the teens’ Nissan sedan, which was going west on Guadalupe, as he attempted to go north onto Sossaman.
Upon further investigation, police suspected that Contreras-Galdean had been drinking and did not have a valid Arizona driver’s license.
The 144-member Highland High School Marching Band canceled their appearance at the parade. Wessing said many of the band members were upset and could not continue on with the parade as planned.
A parent of a drum line member, who didn’t want to be identified because of her professional ties to the school, told the Tribune that school band leader Kevin Bennett pulled the band aside and told them that Kelly Tracy would require brain surgery following the accident.
At a later meeting in the school, she said Principal Domonic Salce told students that Kelly had died.
Kelly played the xylophone in the band while her brother plays on the school’s drum line, according to the parent of a drum line member.
An account will be set up for the girl’s family Monday at Chase Bank to help cover funeral expenses.
ABC15 News contributed to this report.
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