18-year-old dies after running off road in SUV that was reported stolen, CMPD says

CHARLOTTE — An 18-year-old died after she was hurt in a single-car crash Wednesday in southwest Charlotte, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.

The crash happened at about 5:15 a.m. Wednesday on Shopton Road West, near South Tryon Street. Police said when they arrived at the scene, they found a white Toyota Landcruiser that had gone off the road. Officers said the SUV had overturned and was resting on its roof.

The Charlotte Fire Department responded and got the driver out of the SUV, police said. Paramedics took the driver, later identified as 18-year-old Caroline Ruiz, to the hospital with injuries that were life-threatening, police said.

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Ruiz was the only person in the Toyota at the time of the crash.

Investigators said while officers were at the scene, they discovered that the SUV had just been reported stolen. However, police confirmed in an update Monday the stolen vehicle case is still open, and no one has been identified as a suspect in the case.

Police said they believe Ruiz was speeding while heading south on Shopton Road West. She lost control and that was when the SUV went off the road to the right and into a grassy area. The front of the car slammed into a tree, investigators said, and the impact spun the SUV to the left. The left side of the Toyota then collided with another tree.

After the SUV hit the second tree, it went into a ditch where it rolled over and finally came to a rest on its roof, authorities said.

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Police said they don’t believe Ruiz was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash. They also don’t know if she was impaired and are waiting for test results.

When the crash happened, police said they couldn’t identify Ruiz because she didn’t have any identification with her. Officers discovered Ruiz was reported missing on Thursday (the day after the crash) and they were able to later identify her as the driver in the crash.

Ruiz died on Thursday in the hospital, police said.

Police asked any witnesses to the crash, or anyone with information about it, to call Detective Mercedes at (704) 432-2169, extension 5. Information can also be left anonymously with Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600, or on their website.

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