PHOENIX — A Valley father and husband was killed in Tempe after another driver, suspected of being impaired, ran a red light.
Police said the crash happened just after midnight on Sept. 7 near Rural Road and University Drive, sending three people to the hospital, including 38-year-old Kevin Roe, who did not survive his injuries.
Roe was a husband and a new father to a 6-month-old baby girl. His wife, Adelola Roe, said he was passionate about serving others, both locally and abroad.
“We’re really into missions, so we travel all over the world for missions. Him and I,” Adelola said. “He dedicated his life, his free time, to spreading the gospel and loving people.”
Adelola said her husband worked multiple jobs, including driving for a ride-share service to make extra money for his volunteer work. She said he was driving the night of the crash for that service when the alleged suspect ran the red light and hit him.
“Everyone is devastated,” Adelola said.
Tuesday night, family and friends held a memorial service for Roe at Faithful Word Baptist Church.
The community has also raised tens of thousands of dollars for Roe’s family in an online fundraiser.
“He definitely had a very outsized impact on everyone around him,” brother-in-law Fola Odunlade said.
Tempe Police said the suspect was arrested the night of the crash on suspicion of impaired driving, and “because of the injuries he sustained in the crash, he has not yet been booked into jail.”
Police said charges will be determined at the end of the investigation.
“Hopefully this will encourage people to realize the repercussions of them making, you know, wicked and horrible decisions,” Adelola said.
