Ariz. woman misidentified in fatal crash speaks to parents for 1st time as recovery continues

Woman misidentified in fatal Ariz. crash speaks

PHOENIX — An Arizona woman who was thought to have died in a traffic accident but turned out to be alive after an identity mix-up has spoken to her parents.

Ninteen-year-old Abby Guerra, of Glendale, said “hi” to her family Saturday at a Phoenix hospital. It’s her first word since the July crash that killed her close friend.

The Guerras have rallied around Abby since authorities informed them of the tragic case of mistaken identities.

Guerra and her close friend Marlena Cantu were among a group of five friends returning from Disneyland when their SUV blew a tire and crashed.

Two days before their daughter’s funeral, the Guerra family learned Abby had actually survived and Cantu was the one who had died.

A hospital official said it was hard to identify Guerra because of her injuries.

Information from: The Arizona Republic, www.azcentral.com