Three of the seven survivors are children. (Source: KPHO/KTVK)
The closure sparked a massive backup. (Source: KPHO/KTVK)
(Source: Ryan Smith)
Posted:
Jul 26, 2015 6:43 PM EST
Updated:
Jul 27, 2015 1:58 AM EST
Two people were killed and seven more were hurt in a single-vehicle rollover crash on westbound Interstate 10 at 12th Street. Three of those injured are children.
By Catherine Holland
Two people were killed and seven more were hurt in a single-vehicle rollover crash on westbound Interstate 10 at 12th Street. Three of those injured are children.
PHOENIX (KPHO/KTVK) -
Two people were killed and seven more were hurt in
a single-vehicle rollover crash on westbound Interstate 10 at 12th
Street. Three of those injured are children.
It happened late Sunday afternoon, forcing the Arizona Department of Transportation to close westbound I-10 and divert traffic onto northbound State Route 51. That closure lasted about five hours and sparked a massive backup.
ADOT and the Department of Public Safety urged people to avoid the scene.
Early indications are that the rear tire on the driver's side of the Chevy Tahoe blew out, causing the driver to lose control. Video from the scene showed the shredded tire. The Tahoe flipped into oncoming traffic but did not hit any other vehicles.
Investigators are still trying to piece together the moments leading up to the crash, but they do not suspect impairment on the driver's part.
Five people were ejected when the Tahoe rolled. Not one of them was wearing a seat belt.
"People are flying out of this vehicle, as it's in mid-air, as it's rolling," DPS spokesman Bart Graves said. "There were four bodies when our troopers arrived that were not moving, two that were deceased on scene."
In addition to the two adults pronounced dead on the scene, one of whom was hit by another car, three patients suffered life-threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals.
A 7-year-old boy suffered serious injuries. Two more kids, both younger than 5, were in stable condition when EMS crews took them to a local hospital. The last victim, an adult male, also was in stable condition.
DPS has not released the names of any of the victims, saying only that a man and a woman were killed.
Investigators have not determined how the nine victims are related, nor have they said if the kids were properly restrained in car seats.
"We don't believe anybody was belted in," Graves said.
The investigation is ongoing, but Chevy built its Tahoe to safely carry eight people. Not nine.
"In this day and age, you would think that if you have small children, especially if you have nine in your vehicle, and you are the driver, and you have responsibility for the safety of those people, you would think that you would want them buckled in," Graves said.
DPS investigators were on the scene for several hours.
By 5:30 p.m. the two right lanes were open. The other four lanes westbound lanes remained closed for several more hours. In addition, the HOV lane and left lanes were blocked on the eastbound side of the I-10.
"As motorists leave the baseball game downtown, traffic will increase," ADOT warned. "Drivers should expect long delays and avoid the area. Motorists on I-10 should consider using Interstate 17 to avoid the crash. Loop 202 westbound and State Route 51 southbound drivers also were unable to access I-10 westbound because of the crash.
ADOT and DPS reopened all of the affected lanes by 9 p.m.
It happened late Sunday afternoon, forcing the Arizona Department of Transportation to close westbound I-10 and divert traffic onto northbound State Route 51. That closure lasted about five hours and sparked a massive backup.
ADOT and the Department of Public Safety urged people to avoid the scene.
Early indications are that the rear tire on the driver's side of the Chevy Tahoe blew out, causing the driver to lose control. Video from the scene showed the shredded tire. The Tahoe flipped into oncoming traffic but did not hit any other vehicles.
Investigators are still trying to piece together the moments leading up to the crash, but they do not suspect impairment on the driver's part.
Five people were ejected when the Tahoe rolled. Not one of them was wearing a seat belt.
"People are flying out of this vehicle, as it's in mid-air, as it's rolling," DPS spokesman Bart Graves said. "There were four bodies when our troopers arrived that were not moving, two that were deceased on scene."
In addition to the two adults pronounced dead on the scene, one of whom was hit by another car, three patients suffered life-threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals.
A 7-year-old boy suffered serious injuries. Two more kids, both younger than 5, were in stable condition when EMS crews took them to a local hospital. The last victim, an adult male, also was in stable condition.
DPS has not released the names of any of the victims, saying only that a man and a woman were killed.
Investigators have not determined how the nine victims are related, nor have they said if the kids were properly restrained in car seats.
"We don't believe anybody was belted in," Graves said.
The investigation is ongoing, but Chevy built its Tahoe to safely carry eight people. Not nine.
"In this day and age, you would think that if you have small children, especially if you have nine in your vehicle, and you are the driver, and you have responsibility for the safety of those people, you would think that you would want them buckled in," Graves said.
DPS investigators were on the scene for several hours.
By 5:30 p.m. the two right lanes were open. The other four lanes westbound lanes remained closed for several more hours. In addition, the HOV lane and left lanes were blocked on the eastbound side of the I-10.
"As motorists leave the baseball game downtown, traffic will increase," ADOT warned. "Drivers should expect long delays and avoid the area. Motorists on I-10 should consider using Interstate 17 to avoid the crash. Loop 202 westbound and State Route 51 southbound drivers also were unable to access I-10 westbound because of the crash.
ADOT and DPS reopened all of the affected lanes by 9 p.m.