The fatal rollover crash that claimed the life of 39-year-old Celina Costa in October 2025 has led to serious criminal charges against her boyfriend, who was seated in the front passenger seat at the time of the incident. Authorities allege that a physical confrontation inside the vehicle directly contributed to the crash, which occurred along a southern Arizona highway and left two children injured but alive.
Months after the incident, investigators filed charges of second-degree murder and endangerment against Samuel Salomon Carrizoza, citing statements from Costa’s children and forensic findings gathered during the investigation. According to the interim complaint, the crash unfolded following an escalating argument inside the vehicle. Law enforcement officials relied heavily on forensic interviews conducted with the children who witnessed the events leading up to the rollover. Their accounts, combined with toxicology results and evidence collected through a search warrant, formed the basis of the charges now facing Carrizoza.
The case has drawn attention due to the unusual allegation that a front-seat passenger physically interfered with the operation of a moving vehicle, triggering a fatal outcome. Investigators have reconstructed the timeline of events leading to the crash and the moments immediately afterward, piecing together statements, medical reports, and physical evidence. The details describe not only a sudden and violent accident but also a tense and chaotic sequence of events inside the car that investigators say played a decisive role in Costa’s death.
Circumstances of the October 2025 crash
The crash occurred on the morning of October 7, 2025, along Interstate 19 near kilometer marker 88, close to Papago Road. Authorities reported that the incident involved a single-vehicle rollover. Both the driver, Celina Costa, and her front-seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Emergency responders pronounced Costa dead at the scene, while Carrizoza was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Two children who were inside the vehicle at the time survived with minor injuries. They were taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment shortly after the crash. The children were not related to Samuel Salomon Carrizoza, but they were traveling with their mother that morning.
Investigators later determined that the crash did not occur in isolation from the circumstances inside the vehicle. According to the interim complaint, the sequence of events leading to the rollover began with an argument between Costa and Carrizoza while the vehicle was moving at highway speed. The disagreement reportedly involved Costa attempting to retrieve her phone, which Carrizoza had taken from her the previous day.
The dispute escalated quickly. Witness statements indicate that what began as a verbal argument intensified into a physical confrontation. Authorities allege that Carrizoza interfered with the operation of the vehicle during the altercation. Specifically, investigators say he grabbed and pulled the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to lose control and roll over.
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The crash location lies along a stretch of highway frequently used by residents traveling between communities in southern Arizona. The force of the rollover was significant enough to eject both adults from the vehicle, suggesting high speed or violent motion during the loss of control. Law enforcement officials documented the crash scene and vehicle damage as part of their reconstruction of the incident.
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Costa and Carrizoza had been in a relationship and lived together at Costa’s home in Green Valley, Arizona. Their shared living arrangement and relationship history became part of the investigative record as authorities worked to understand the events preceding the crash.
Children’s statements and investigative findings
The day after the crash, detectives from a regional major crimes unit attended forensic interviews conducted with Costa’s children at a child advocacy center. These interviews played a central role in shaping the investigation. According to the interim complaint, the children provided detailed accounts of the argument and the actions that occurred immediately before the vehicle lost control.
The children reportedly told investigators that the argument intensified as Costa attempted to regain possession of her phone. During the confrontation, Carrizoza allegedly grabbed the steering wheel and pulled it, causing the vehicle to veer and ultimately roll over. Investigators noted that the children described the incident as sudden and chaotic, with little time for Costa to regain control.
The complaint also states that Carrizoza struck or hit the steering wheel while shouting at Costa to slow down. The children described hearing their mother say she could not control the car and that they were all going to die. According to the report, she also said Carrizoza would go to jail. These statements, attributed to Costa during the moments before the crash, were included in the investigative record as part of the sequence of events.
Detectives evaluated the consistency and detail of the children’s accounts as part of the evidentiary process. Forensic interviews in such cases are structured to minimize suggestion and to document recollections carefully. Investigators observed the interviews directly, ensuring that statements were recorded according to established procedures.
In addition to witness statements, investigators obtained a search warrant related to Carrizoza. According to the interim complaint, toxicology results showed positive findings for multiple substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, midazolam, amphetamine, and norfentanyl. These findings were documented as part of the overall investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Authorities have not publicly stated whether impairment directly affected Carrizoza’s actions at the time of the incident, but the presence of multiple substances became part of the evidentiary record supporting the charges. Investigators examined medical records, laboratory analyses, and other forensic data to determine how the presence of these substances fit into the broader timeline of events.
The children’s injuries were described as minor, but their accounts provided investigators with critical insight into what occurred inside the vehicle. Without their testimony, authorities would have had limited information about the sequence of actions immediately preceding the crash. Their statements became a key factor in the decision to pursue criminal charges.
Legal charges and the evolving case
Months after the crash, prosecutors filed charges against Carrizoza based on the accumulated evidence. He faces second-degree murder and endangerment charges in connection with Costa’s death and the injuries sustained by the children. The charges reflect the allegation that his actions inside the vehicle directly caused the fatal rollover.
Second-degree murder charges typically involve conduct that results in death without premeditation but with circumstances showing extreme disregard for human life. Prosecutors allege that interfering with the steering of a moving vehicle meets that threshold under the facts presented in the interim complaint. The endangerment charge relates to the presence of the children in the vehicle and the risk created by the alleged actions.
The case has moved forward through the initial stages of the criminal justice process, with court documents outlining the evidence relied upon by investigators. These include witness statements, toxicology findings, and the reconstruction of the crash. Prosecutors have indicated that the evidence demonstrates a direct causal link between the physical struggle over the steering wheel and the rollover that killed Costa.
Defense proceedings and future court hearings will determine how the evidence is evaluated and whether additional information emerges. Criminal cases involving fatal crashes often involve expert testimony regarding vehicle dynamics, driver response, and the mechanical sequence of rollover events. Such testimony may play a role as the case progresses.
The investigation also examined the relationship between Costa and Carrizoza, as well as their shared residence and history leading up to the incident. While the interim complaint references an argument over a phone as the immediate catalyst, prosecutors may present additional context regarding the couple’s interactions in the period preceding the crash.
Authorities have emphasized that the charges were filed after careful review of witness testimony and forensic evidence. The timing reflects the months-long process of gathering and analyzing information following the October 2025 crash.
As legal proceedings continue, the case centers on a central allegation: that a moment of physical interference with a vehicle in motion transformed a domestic argument into a fatal event. The outcome will depend on how the court assesses the evidence presented and determines responsibility for the crash that ended Celina Costa’s life and left her children injured but surviving.