Glendale woman seeks justice after husband dies in hit-and-run accident

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The pain and grief do not go away for Caserina Hawkins, whose beloved husband Martin Hawkins died six months ago when he was killed by a fleeing driver while riding his motorcycle home.

“I tell people I'm not afraid of heaven or hell, because hell is picking up the pieces and moving on, trying to keep my family together and pay the bills,” Hawkins said.

What makes the tragedy even worse is the fact that there have been no arrests or charges, says the grieving Glendale woman, even though investigators say they know who the fleeing driver was.

According to police reports, 79-year-old Katherine Evans was driving the SUV that struck Hawkins at around 6:20 p.m. on March 21 at the intersection of 67th Avenue and Mountain View Drive in Glendale.

According to toxicology reports, Hawkins was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time of the accident.

Witnesses reported that the driver waited in her car for a few minutes after the accident and then drove off.

Evans was later found in her home a few blocks away.

“You killed someone,” Hawkins said. “Whether it was an accident or not, someone still has to be held accountable.”

A short time later, Arizona's family contacted the Maricopa County Attorney's Office to inquire about the case.

A staff member contacted Hawkins and told her they were in the process of charging the hit-and-run driver, but she could be released on probation if Evans has no prior criminal record.

“Our office has made a charging decision and we are currently awaiting the court's determination as to whether there is reasonable suspicion,” the Arizona District Attorney's Office told Family.

Valley attorney Anthony Knowles says hit-and-run cases are often challenging for prosecutors because they don't know what they can and can't prove.

“In a hit-and-run case, they may have the vehicle, a description, a video or something like that, but that's only half the process,” Knowles said. “The other half is proving who was driving and who left the scene of the accident.”

In December 2023, 27-year-old David Hadrich was riding his motorcycle in Carefree when a fleeing driver killed him.

His father, Tim Hadrich, has made it his mission to get state lawmakers to pass a new law that would automatically impose prison time on any driver who kills someone while driving.

“They need to create a mandatory sentencing for anyone who kills someone,” Hadrich said. “Anyone who accidentally kills someone with a gun will get a prison sentence. Lawmakers need to change this law, and we won't stop until it's changed.”

Prosecutors say it is not uncommon for hit-and-run cases to take six months or more before a decision is made about whether to file charges.

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