Sunday I-17 crashes near Northern Avenue end in 1 death, 2 life-threatening injuries

Arizona troopers were investigating a DUI case along northbound Interstate 17 near Northern Avenue early Sunday morning when two nearby crashes occurred, killing one and sending two people to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

At about 1 a.m. July 7, Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers were checking on a driver who may have been driving under the influence. While working to clear the vehicle off the road and investigate the DUI, a backup occurred on the freeway and a collision occurred between two vehicles, resulting in no injuries, according to a DPS release.

As troopers worked to remove those vehicles off the road another vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed collided with the vehicles, killing one of the drivers.

The driver who crashed into the vehicles suffered life-threatening injuries and is being evaluated for possible impairment, officials said.

The juvenile driver of the third vehicle also suffered life-threatening injuries, DPS officials stated in the release.

DPS detectives are working with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to determine what criminal charges may be appropriate, according to the release.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org .