The "accident," the proof, and the Phoenix P.D

In hindsight, I suppose that this entire case was unusual from the start. Not because vehicular homicides and drunk driving are rare, but because somebody was clearly protecting my son’s killer. Despite the police seeing that TW was intoxicated at the time of the accident, he was not even tested until five hours later. He, of course, was still well above the legal limit at that point and was then arrested.

In speaking with the police and other victims, I have learned that due to the emotional intensity, graphic nature, and trauma for everyone who witnesses an event like this, things can get a little chaotic, and for that I have no judgment nor criticism. Believe me, nothing in my life has traumatized me like that night. However, explain to me why after the arrest, the blood test, a homicide, and the knowledge that this is a repeat offender who claims to not own the vehicle, to not have any insurance, and to be from out of state (Oregon to be exact), he was released from jail just hours later. At the time the explanation from Phoenix PD was that, given all of the evidence, they had to release him in order to change the charges to manslaughter. At the time nothing for me made sense, but even then those words certainly did not. At any rate, in the following three weeks, they reviewed the cameras, received the autopsy report, a multitude of witness statements, camera footage, and Aidan’s tox screen as well. We were told with this information it was an open-and-shut case. It was clearly an aggressive DUI, and TW would ultimately be facing manslaughter charges. Which, with the forensic evidence, we never gave it another thought. He was about to be arrested, charged, and prosecuted...

After not being notified of an arrest several months later, I began calling incessantly, trying to get answers from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. It was not until I started posting on social media that I ever got a response from Tom G, (who was then in charge of vehicular crimes,) victim services, or anyone else in the department for that matter. Once I started posting responses to the flagrant PR stunts that Maricopa County was bragging about conquering, I continued to ask repeatedly why TW had not been arrested and they were allowing a killer to be on the streets, but I just kept getting blocked. After posting several things and building this website, I then got my business account and personal account of 15 years shut down on Facebook for “undisclosed violations“. Then I started responding on Instagram, where I was then blocked as well. In the following two months, my website was reported, and both Aidan‘s Instagram memorial site, as well as, his memorial Facebook page were shut down in a continued effort to silence me and to erase Aidan’s life!

Now, I want to be clear, from what I can tell and have experienced firsthand with the Phoenix Police Department. They were extremely efficient in the investigation following the accident and gave MCAO every single thing that they needed; however, I still cannot explain or get an explanation as to why TW was really let out of jail the following morning and allowed to return to the road to take another life or, at the very least, just enjoy his freedom after he so recklessly killed someone. Now they’re just pretending like none of it happened. I have the mug shot. I have the arrest record. I have the autopsy. I have the forensic report. I have Aidan‘s tox report as well as TW’s! I even at one point asked the MCAO, “If my son was not killed that night, then where is he? Whose remains do I have, and who did TW kill?“ After that conversation, we had 2 follow-up calls going over the details of the plan for TW‘s arrest. But what happened next is unbelievable and unconscionable…

To be continued…

Love, hard, work hard, play hard…

~Ashton