Posted By: Jon Johnson
July 29, 2017
Father faces possible homicide charges
By Jon Johnson
jon@gilavalleycentral.net
Tucson, AZ – Losing a child can be the most devastating tragedy a parent faces. A father knowing that his actions contributed to the death only compounds the catastrophe.
One of the two young sisters who was badly injured recently while riding on the back of an ATV with their father died early Friday morning at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson (UMC).
Ximena Sierra, 8, suffered a catastrophic head injury when the ATV her father, Artemio Sierra, was driving hit a berm and knocked both Ximena and her sister, Ludwika, 9, off and onto the ground. Neither girl was wearing a helmet. Artemio, 33, of Pima, was investigated for driving under the influence of alcohol. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test and admitted to drinking too many beers throughout the day to count.
The crash took place just before 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 23, behind a pump storage building in the 9000 block of U.S. Highway 70 roughly 200 yards north of the highway. Deputies noted seeing ATV tracks leading from a flat roadway into a small berm and ditch and multiple spots with blood on the ground.
Artemio brought the girls to the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center in his father’s vehicle and both were reportedly unconscious, with Ximena not breathing and without a pulse. Emergency Room staff reportedly they managed to restore a pulse to Ximena, and she was airlifted to UMC.
Ludwika was also airlifted to UMC. She reportedly responded well to treatment and has since been released from the hospital.
According to a report from Univision, Ximena was declared brain dead at UMC on Tuesday, and despite her parents desire to give their daughter more time and pray for a miracle, the decision was made to remove Ximena from life support against her parents’ wishes.
Artemio now faces possible homicide charges anywhere from negligent homicide up to murder in the second degree.
Test results showing Artemio’s blood/alcohol concentration are still pending from the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Crime Lab.
A gofundme account has been set up for the girls and can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/support-for-ludwika-and-ximena.
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Father being investigated for DUI
By Jon Johnson
jon@gilavalleycentral.net
GRAHAM COUNTY – Two young girls were
clinging to life at a Tucson hospital Tuesday after being thrown from an
ATV their father was driving, possibly while drunk, Sunday night.
Ludwyka Sierra, 9, and Ximena Sierra, 8,
were both listed in critical condition at Banner-University Medical
Center Tucson. The girls were flown to UMC after initially being
examined at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center (MGRMC).
Officers and medical personnel were
dispatched to an area along U.S. Highway 70 between Glenbar Gin and the
former Cluff Dairy at about 7:33 p.m. regarding an ATV incident. Medical
and fire personnel were then canceled after a deputy learned that the
injured parties had been driven to MGRMC by their father, Artemio
Sierra, 33, of Pima.
The two girls were first treated at MGRMC before being flown to UMC in Tucson.
According to Emergency Room staff, when
both girls were brought into the ER by Artemio, they were limp and
unconscious. When Ximena arrived, she didn’t have a pulse and wasn’t
breathing. ER staff reported they managed to re-start Ximena’s heart
prior to her being airlifted to Tucson, according to the Sheriff’s
Office report.
Ludwyka was still at the ER when the
deputy arrived. He reported she had large abrasions to her left leg and
both knees as well as abrasions to her face and head. She was shortly
thereafter flown out to UMC as well. In a news release Wednesday
morning, the Sheriff’s Office reported Ludwyka appeared to be responding
to treatment.
Artemio allegedly told a deputy that the
girls had asked to go for a ride so he took them out on his ATV, which
he believed was a Honda 400. He said it was getting dark and seemed like
it was going to rain when he suddenly he hit a small berm at about 40
mph, knocking his daughters off and onto the ground. They were not
wearing helmets.
Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Valley Central: At least one of the girls was transported to UMC in this LifeNet helicopter.
Artemio said he found both his girls
unconscious on the ground and bleeding. After he managed to get the ATV
to start, he drove toward his residence but the ATV died again. He then
left his daughters and ran home to retrieve his father’s vehicle, which
he then used to transport his daughters to the hospital.
While speaking with Artemio, the officer
noted he showed signs of intoxication. When asked, Artemio allegedly
admitted to drinking too many beers throughout the day to count.
Artemio failed a brief sobriety field test and his blood was taken for testing purposes. He was then released to his brother.
Other deputies located the site of the
crash behind a pump storage building in the 9000 block of U.S. Highway
70 roughly 200 yards north of the highway. Deputies noted seeing ATV
tracks leading from a flat roadway into a small berm and ditch and
multiple spots with blood on the ground.