More details have emerged over the weekend regarding the fatal car crash that killed local hip-hop artist Abay Lattin (a.k.a. Carnegie) of Silver Medallion early Saturday morning.
Tempe Police Department spokesperson Molly Enright stated that alcohol was likely involved in the crash and that the 17-year-old female driver from Gilbert who caused the accident is currently "under investigation" for DUI.
Said individual was behind the wheel of an SUV that pulled out of the Quadrangles apartment complex on University Drive near Rural Road in Tempe and struck the white sedan that was carrying Carnegie and local recording engineer/hip-hop artist Trife.
The pair were headed home from Philthy Phil's, where Carnegie had performed at the Ransom dance night. They had just left the nearby Del Taco and were traveling eastbound on University Drive when the accident occurred. Carnegie died at the scene and Trife was transported to Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center for treatment.
The accident also sadly claimed the life of Arizona State University student Matthew West. According to Enright, the 19-year-old pre-med major was riding his motorcycle eastbound on University Drive and struck the wrecked vehicles approximately one minute after the initial accident occurred. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
While Tempe police officials have not released the name of the teenage SUV driver as of this writing (citing the fact she is a juvenile) friends and relatives of both Carnegie and West are cursing her stupidity of deciding to drive her urban assault vehicle after having a few drinks.
Carnegie's partner Oren J. Schauble tweeted as much on Silver Medallion's Twitter account on Saturday night, stating simply: "A drunk driver killed my best friend."
Although funeral arrangements for Carnegie are still pending, Schauble's DJ gig at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale last night (which he told me would be a "memorial" for his fallen partner) was reportedly well-attended.
