Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced on Apr. 8 that Andrew Ramirez-Perez has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree murder.
The sentencing follows a fatal incident in September 2024, when Ramirez-Perez was observed by Department of Public Safety troopers driving at high speed in the HOV lane on Interstate 10. Troopers reported seeing him weaving through traffic before he crashed into a motorcycle, resulting in both vehicles catching fire and the death of the motorcyclist, identified as Craig Cooper, age 42.
Authorities estimated that Ramirez-Perez was traveling over 125 miles per hour in a zone where the speed limit is 65 miles per hour. Investigators found an open container in his backseat and determined his blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit at the time of the crash.
“There is no amount of justice that can bring back a loved one who was lost in such a sudden and tragic way,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “The best we can do is ensure that this reckless disregard for life does not go unpunished. Thanks to the work of our prosecutor, Brianna Stutz, this defendant has been held accountable.”
The case highlights ongoing concerns about impaired and reckless driving on Arizona highways.
