Car reached 109 mph in crash that killed Wichita woman, affidavit says

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — An affidavit alleges that a car driven by a Wichita man was going 109 mph just before it crashed near Old Town in May, killing a 23-year-old woman. Cesar Arreola is charged with unintentional but reckless second-degree murder. The crash happened shortly after 1:15 a.m. May 16 at Douglas and Hydraulic avenues. According to the affidavit, Arreola was spotted by multiple witnesses driving east on Douglas in a Dodge Charger at a high speed. Witnesses reported seeing the car hit a raised portion of the road at the intersection with Hydraulic, causing the vehicle to leave the pavement. Sparks flew from the bottom of the car when it landed, and the driver lost control, striking a pole and a building, according to the affidavit. One of the witnesses ran to help, cutting the passenger-side airbag so he could see inside. He reported seeing the driver sitting upside down on top of the passenger, later identified as Ashley Peralta of Wichita. The witness said he felt a very faint pulse on her. She was taken by emergency medical services to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, where she was pronounced dead around 1:45 a.m. According to the affidavit, the chief medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper said when he arrived at the scene, he spotted a man, later identified as Arreola, walking along Kansas Street. A witness told the trooper that he was the man driving the crashed Dodge Charger. The trooper reported finding suspected drug evidence in the street where he saw Arreola walking, including: Arreola had an odor of alcohol coming from his breath, bloodshot eyes and trouble maintaining his balance, according to an officer's report from the scene. The affidavit says he refused to take a field sobriety test. He was also quoted as having told an officer while gesturing toward the crash site that it was "over with" because he had "endangered" people. A search of the vehicle uncovered a handgun underneath the driver's seat. The gun turned out to be stolen from Independence, police said. Data taken from the Charger showed that five seconds before airbag deployment, the car reached 101 mph, according to the affidavit. A couple seconds later, it reached 109 mph. The brakes were never applied, police said, and the car crashed at about 64 mph. Police also obtained a warrant for a blood test of Arreola. But the affidavit does not provide any details on what investigators might have found in his system. He has not been charged with any DU or drug offense. A status hearing is tentatively scheduled in the case for July 6.