Boy, 8, dies after high-speed crash on a busy Charlotte highway, police say
An 8-year-old boy died and a woman faces a slew of charges in a high-speed crash on East Independence Boulevard Friday, police said.
Ilam Mateo Espinoza Castenada was killed in the crash, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department news release.
Mayra Castenada, 32, was impaired and driving 80 mph in a 50-mph zone, according to the arrest warrant.
Police charged Mayra Castenada with felony death by vehicle, reckless driving to endanger, speeding and driving without a North Carolina license, according to the warrant.
She is being held in lieu of $1 million bond at the Mecklenburg County jail.
This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Boy, 8, dies after high-speed crash on a busy Charlotte highway, police say."
