Tucson Police, code lights

A 42-year-old woman is dead and her 2-year-old daughter is in the hospital after being ejected from their car Sunday morning on the road down from Mount Lemmon.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department was called to the area around 9:45 a.m. where they learned that Laura Rodriguez was driving her Toyota Camry south down Catalina Highway when she crossed to the left side of the road. According to Pima County Sheriffโ€™s officials, thatโ€™s when Rodriguez hit an embankment and drove off the side of the mountain.

Rodriguez and her child were ejected from the Camry. According to sheriffโ€™s officials, no seat belts or child restraints were in use and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene. The child suffered non life-threatening injuries.ย 

No cause for the crash was listed, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.ย 


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Edward Celaya is a breaking news and marijuana reporter. He has been on both beats since May 2021.