Bell and 54th lit up with emergency lights just after 6 p.m. on April 3 when a northbound motorcycle struck the passenger side of a white Chevy Silverado turning onto 54th Avenue. The collision killed the motorcycle’s rider at the scene and left his passenger gravely injured.
The rider was identified as 57-year-old Steven Tobias Guzman; he was pronounced dead where he fell. His passenger, 50-year-old Debbie Michelle Guzman, was taken to a local hospital and later died from her injuries, police said. First responders worked quickly, but the injuries were too severe.
Witnesses told police a black truck and the motorcycle had been racing or moving at high speed northbound on Bell just before the motorcycle struck the turning pickup. Those observers said the black truck did not stop and kept going after the crash, a detail investigators flagged immediately.
The white Silverado’s driver and a passenger were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators are focusing not only on the movement of the pickup but also on identifying and locating the black truck that fled the scene, which may hold key details about what precipitated the crash.
Amarillo Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Squad is leading the on-scene investigation, collecting witness statements and any available video. Officers are urging anyone with footage from the area of Bell Street and 54th Avenue near 6 p.m. on April 3 to come forward.
The loss of Steven and Debbie Guzman left family and neighbors reeling. Community members described the couple as familiar faces in the area, and their sudden deaths have prompted an outpouring of sorrow and questions as the probe continues.
Photographs related to the crash scene and the intersection are available from local news outlets and public police photos.
