Casa Grande family seek answers for grandmother’s van accident
The woman was being dropped off at home after a visit to the senior center, police records said.
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — A Casa Grande family is seeking answers after their grandmother was hit and killed by a city van last March.
A newly obtained police report provided some clarity about the driver’s perspective, but the grandsons still have questions.
“It’s still kind of like, ‘Wow.’ It’s a tragedy what happened,” Antonio Berger said.
The police report revealed that 81-year-old Eva Berger died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital after suffering significant head trauma in the crash on March 31.
The driver reportedly told responding officers she had just dropped Berger off at her home near Amarillo and 3rd streets when another passenger redirected her attention. The driver said she turned around to speak with the other passenger. When she turned forward, she reported not seeing anyone in front of her.
The driver drove forward and said she felt a bump. She stopped the van and got out to see Berger underneath the van.
“She didn’t deserve this. We just want (people) to know that a kind soul got taken out and we’re truly going to miss her,” Antonio Berger said.
Officers described the driver as “hysterical” and “having a hard time forming complete sentences” in the report.
12News is not naming the driver of the van since charges have not been filed.
“I just want to know what was going through her mind,” Antonio Berger said about the driver.
Although the report explains how the crash happened, the grandsons said they feel the driver should have paid more attention to their grandmother and helped her to her door.
“You take that job on and there’s a role you’re supposed to play,” Antonio Berger said.
As the Berger family prepares to lay their matriarch to rest this week, they don’t want her to be remembered by her death, but rather the vibrant life she lived.
“Her legacy will live on and we will cherish her everyday. It’s not going to be the same without her here,” Gregory Berger said.
12News attempted to reach the driver for comment, but did not get a response.
The Department of Public Safety is leading the crash investigation. A spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing and there are no updates as of Saturday night.