Police officer killed by reported red-light runner

By Rudy Rivas

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    PORTLAND, Oregon (KPHO/KTVK) — A police officer has died after a crash in north Phoenix late Monday night.

Phoenix police said the officer, 27-year-old Ginarro New, was involved in a crash around 10:45 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of Cave Creek Road and Greenway Parkway.

Chief Jeri Williams told the media early Tuesday morning that Officer New was transported to an area hospital but later died from his injuries.

“I want to express my deep thanks and appreciation to HonorHealth. The doctors, the nurses, the surgeons, who tried to save Officer New. As well as the Phoenix Fire Department that did everything possible to try to preserve his life,” Williams said.

According to Phoenix police, a witness told police the driver that smashed into the New’s vehicle was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed and ran a red light. The driver of that vehicle, 31-year-old Christopher Castro, died at the scene. Police say speed and impairment by Castro are believed to be contributing factors to the crash.

Preliminary information from Phoenix police indicates Officer New was traveling southbound on Cave Creek Road, entered the intersection at Greenway Parkway and was hit by a car that ran the red light. The force of the crash caused the officer’s vehicle to crash through a brick wall and into a gas station parking lot.

Officer New started with Phoenix police in July 2019 and is survived by his wife, mother, brother and grandmother. The Phoenix Police Foundation has set up an account to support the fallen officer’s family. Click here to donate. 100% of donations received for Officer New through the Phoenix Police Foundation will benefit the family.

Mayor Gallego released the following statement on Tuesday morning:

“Our community is grieving the loss of Phoenix Police Officer Ginnaro New. On behalf of the City of Phoenix, we thank Officer New for his service and commitment to keeping us safe. We hold his family in our hearts, and will keep his memory in our minds.

I invite our community to thank his Phoenix Police colleagues who face these kinds of dangers daily. Our thoughts are with them today, as are our condolences for this terrible loss. Deep gratitude also goes to the Phoenix Fire Department and Honor Health for their heroic efforts to save Officer New’s life.”

Colleagues shared their memories of Officer New with Arizona’s Family. Before becoming a police officer, New was a nurse at Longview Elementary School. He was known as “Dr. Gino,” and his co-workers say kids loved him.

“He was amazing with the kids; he was a kid at heart himself,” said administrative assistant Elaine Marxer. “He’d walk through the halls and the kids would run to him because he was so amazing and they loved him so much.”

“He had a way of stopping them from crying and not thinking about their pain, because they were thinking about the silly things that he was saying and doing,” Marxer continued.

“My first impression seeing him on his very first day walking into the academy, we immediately noticed that though he was small in stature, his heart was gigantic, very anxious and eager to do his job,” said Sgt. James Byrd, New’s training officer in the academy. “I think if you look back since day 1, there’s been a history of service that he’s done so I think it’s just one more step that he took and left the ambulance service to be a police officer.”

Phoenix police Officer Thomas McKee was the first to take Officer New out on patrol. “He had a just a way of being naturally nice to people,” he says. To McKee, he was more than a trainee; he was a friend. McKee also says that New was happy to be an officer. “I know he made other people happy and a lot of people love him,” he said.

Friends say Officer New grew up in Coolidge and was someone you would want in your corner.

“He’s helped my family out quite a bit, he’s been there to help my sisters out and whatnot when they needed it,” said Christian Corrente, Officer New’s childhood friend. “They lived just around the block on the same street, we’d go over there, hang out all the time, we’d walk to school together all the time. He was very protective of his family, he was very much so the person that was–hey look, you’re doing the wrong thing, this is the right way to do it.”

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