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Tatiana Munguia

Age : 22

Gender : Female

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 05/23/2021

Location : 12th Street and Oak Park Avenue

City : Des Moines

County : Polk

State : Iowa

Agency : Polk County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR POLICE PURSUIT: Passenger in vehicle that took off from a traffic stop done for speeding
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NARRATIVE:
On 05/23/2021, 22-year-old Tatiana Munguia of Des Moines was killed while riding as a passenger in a Dodge Charger that crashed into a wooded area and caught fire following a Polk County Sheriff's Office pursuit in Des Moines. The 20-year-old driver, Moises Ruiz, was also killed.
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At approximately 1:17 p.m., a Polk County Sheriff's deputy stopped the Charger in the 4300 block of Northwest Morningstar Drive after observing it traveling 85 mph in a 40-mph zone. As the deputy approached the car, the driver accelerated away and the deputy pursued.
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Police reported that the Charger accelerated so rapidly that the deputy lost sight of it almost immediately and police alleged they discontinued the pursuit. Less than a mile away, the Charger continued through the area of 12th Street and Euclid Avenue at extreme speed.
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Near 12th Street and Oak Park Avenue, the Charger went airborne, entered a wooded area and struck several trees before catching fire. The collision scattered pieces of the vehicle across a large debris field, with parts landing approximately 100 yards away in a neighboring yard.
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The burning vehicle prevented witnesses and emergency personnel from immediately reaching Munguia and the driver. After firefighters extinguished the flames, both were found dead inside the Charger.
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Munguia was the mother of a five-month-old daughter, Noami. Her family described her as a devoted daughter, sister, mother and friend who dedicated her life to her family. A fundraiser established by her family the day after her death raised more than $21,000 toward her funeral expenses.
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Friends and relatives gathered at the crash site after Munguia and Ruiz were identified. Contemporary reporting described the two as a couple who had recently had a child.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Polk County Sheriff's deputy who initiated the traffic stop and pursuit has not been publicly identified.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.kcci.com/article/des-moines-iowa-police-identify-2-killed-in-fiery-weekend-crash/36522561
https://www.radioiowa.com/2021/05/25/two-die-in-fiery-crash-after-speeding-away-from-traffic-stop/
https://www.wowt.com/2021/05/25/police-2-killed-in-crash-after-fleeing-iowa-traffic-stop/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tatianas-family-with-funeral-expenses