Man indicted for murder after high-speed chase and deadly crash in Glendale
Marcus Whitfield
GLENDALE, AZ — A young man is facing murder charges after a high-speed, alcohol-fueled rampage through downtown Glendale that killed one person and left three others, including a police officer, hospitalized earlier this year.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that Ali Alebadi, 20, has been indicted on one count of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful flight from law enforcement.
The incident unfolded on the morning of March 22. According to court documents, Alebadi ran multiple red lights while speeding at up to 90 miles per hour through downtown Glendale. Traffic cameras captured him cutting off other drivers, making wide turns, running at least eight red lights and driving into oncoming traffic.
A Glendale police officer was driving near 57th and Glendale avenues when Alebadi's white sedan passed by going in the wrong direction. The officer pursued Alebadi, attempting to pull him over, but crashed into a pickup truck during the chase. Alebadi kept speeding before he struck a Nissan Sentra at the intersection of 51st and Glendale avenues.
The passenger in the Sentra was killed. The driver was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Both the officer and the pickup truck driver were also hospitalized.
Court documents state Alebadi's blood alcohol concentration was 0.141, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08.
After being released from the hospital, investigators say Alebadi fled the country. He was later located and arrested in Glendale on August 19. Investigators did not say where he fled but noted in court documents that he has ties to Mexico and Iraq.
Alebadi is being held on a $3 million cash bond. His trial is set for April 2027.