Dallas woman killed in crash with stolen backhoe going wrong-way on I-35E

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A 20-year-old Dallas woman is dead after crashing into a stolen backhoe on I-35E early Sunday morning. Police say the backhoe was going the wrong way on the freeway. The driver ran off after causing the deadly accident and a search is now underway.

Lizbeth Suarez's family is focusing on their loss, but wants justice. Javier Delatorre says he will remember his little sister, a recent graduate of Richardson High School, as a woman with her life, and cosmetology school, ahead of her. "Very sweet. Very humble. Easy to get along with," said Delatorre.

Police say the backhoe equipment belongs to the city water department. It was stolen near Walnut Hill Lane at Shady Trail around 5 A.M. 45 minutes later; police say it was moving southbound, in the northbound lanes of I-35E.

Suarez was in the passenger seat after picking up her older sister, Diana Mejicanos, from a night shift at work. Mejicanos offered to drive home. Delatorre says Mejicanos tried to swerve away from the backhoe as it approached them, but its front end loader slammed into their GMC Envoy, killing their youngest sibling.

Police say the driver of the backhoe ran from the scene with an injured leg. Construction workers, who witnessed the crash, moved the backhoe out of lanes of traffic.

The surviving sister is out of the hospital. She injured her back in the crash, but is more hurt emotionally.