Woman killed, teen arrested in stolen SUV crash at Las Cruces' Young Park

A 16-year-old boy was arrested after police said he wrecked a stolen sports utility vehicle, killing a 20-year-old passenger near Young Park early Saturday morning.

Las Cruces police did not identify the driver but did identify the victim as Leilani Solis in a news release that confirmed the incident. They said the 2017 Hyundai Tucson vehicle was reported stolen on Friday.

Police spotted the vehicle three times during the day, according to the news release, but the driver did not stop. Officers chose not to chase the vehicle, the news release said.

Around midnight that Friday, the vehicle's owner spotted the SUV at Young Park. The news release said the owner called the police and tried to confront the teens inside. But the people inside sped onto Walnut Street instead.

According to the news release, the SUV then drove back into the Young Park parking lot and began following the owner, who was on foot.

"The driver of the stolen vehicle once again accelerated, but this time, struck a curb during a turn and rolled over," the news release said.

Solis was ejected from the SUV, which crushed her as it rolled over, police said.

Other passengers in the SUV driven by the teen driver were two 15-year-old boys.

Police said only the 16-year-old was arrested and being recommended for charges. He faces one count of homicide by vehicle, two counts of child abuse, three counts of aggravated fleeing from an officer, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, failure to report a crash, failure to render aid, criminal damage to property and receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Teen rolls stolen SUV, woman ejected and killed in Las Cruce park