(First InMaricopa) Debi McDaniel says she has stayed quiet long enough.  

After watching her teenage daughter fight for her life through 19 surgeries, she is speaking out about what she calls “a shameful moment” in Arizona’s insurance system. 

On Feb. 8, McDaniel’s 17-year-old daughter was driving home to see her new pet rabbit on State Route 238 when a vehicle traveling 80 to 100 mph struck her head-on. The ensuing four-car wreck sent six people to the hospital. Five of those were players for the Maricopa Pumas youth football team, who held vigils at Copper Sky for the wounded young players. The other person hospitalized was McDaniel’s daughter.  

According to McDaniel, the driver of that youth football passenger van was found both drunk and high. McDaniel sent InMaricopa a recorded message detailing her story. She did not return calls to elaborate or provide proof of some of her claims regarding the crash and ongoing legal battle. InMaricopa cannot independently verify these claims about the condition of the other driver. 

“The force of the impact almost tore her body in half,” McDaniel wrote on Facebook about her daughter. “I have watched her almost die too many times over the past months.” 

McDaniel said her daughter is now permanently disabled, bedridden and under 24-hour care as part of Arizona’s long-term care system. Once an early high school graduate and college student pursuing dreams of working with animals, she now lives in constant pain. 

But McDaniel said her grief turned to outrage after she received a letter from an attorney representing a passenger in the other car. 

“They are pursuing over $500,000 because they felt it was not enough that in a split second my daughter was able to get to the shoulder to try and avoid this crash,” McDaniel said. “My monthly [insurance] payments were used against me to just further pour salt into the wounds.” 

She said her daughter had no safe options that night.  

“To the left was oncoming traffic; too far to the right was an embankment which would have resulted in her flipping her own car,” she said. “Still, my daughter got the worst injuries and will be permanently disabled for her entire life.” 

McDaniel said the crash vehicle was filled with children, some unrestrained, while parents and teammates caravanned behind. Yet, she said, it is her family now facing crushing medical bills, mounting to more than $1 million, now met with legal action. 

“This is what happens when an inebriated person weaves in and out of traffic on a two-lane highway,” she said in the Facebook post, lashing out at the family involved Wednesday morning. “You brood of vipers. You vultures. Shame on you. You should be filled with remorse because you did not stop this from happening before you destroyed our family.” 

McDaniel said she has left her job to become her daughter’s full-time caretaker. While her faith has carried her through, she said the legal and insurance battles have pushed her to speak publicly.

“I think I’m ready to speak,” McDaniel said. “Even though they know it’s not my daughter’s fault … because we have good insurance coverage, apparently they think it’s okay.” 

She said Arizona lawmakers need to take action to prevent victims from being targeted by legal claims. 

“Insurance laws need to change now,” McDaniel said. “Just declare bankruptcy and repent. Leave our family alone. You have taken enough. Just stop.” 

Representatives for the Maricopa Pumas did not respond agree to an interview, but said they dispute the McDaniels’ claims of impairment.