Loop 202 crash: good Samaritan killed, several cars collide in chain reaction
An unidentified good Samaritan was killed when she went to check on a driver who crashed on Loop 202 in Phoenix early Sunday morning.
She didn't know it, but DPS says the driver had already fled from their car.
The crash caused a chain reaction, and several other cars crashed as a result.
PHOENIX - A good Samaritan was killed when she went to check on a driver who had just crashed into a median wall on Loop 202 Sunday morning, Arizona DPS said.
What we know
The March 9 crash happened just after 5:20 a.m.
A Dodge Durango driver headed west on Loop 202 lost control, hit a median wall at 40th Street, spun and came to a rest while facing the wrong way in the center lane of the highway.
That driver fled the scene. However, a concerned driver stopped at the emergency shoulder, turned her hazard lights on and got out of her car to check on the driver.
"Meanwhile, another driver saw the wrong-way-facing vehicle and swerved to the right, striking the good Samaritan, who was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital," said Arizona DPS spokesperson Bart Graves.
That driver was also hurt and taken to the hospital. Investigators say impairment hasn't been ruled out in this driver's case.
More crashes follow
Then, DPS says a tire that came off of the first crashed car went into the eastbound lanes and caused a non-injury crash. Another car hit the first crashed car, but the driver wasn't hurt.
"A short time later a fifth collision occurred involving three vehicles. No one was injured, but one of the drivers involved was arrested for DUI," Graves said.
Westbound lanes were closed for about six hours and have been reopened.
What we don't know
The name of the good Samaritan wasn't released.
We don't yet know what caused the Durango driver to lose control and crash.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas Capitol Evacuated After Threats Linked To Democrat Rep. Nicole Collier; DPS Identifies Suspect
The Texas State Capitol was partially evacuated Tuesday evening, Aug. 19, after violent threats were posted online, prompting state troopers to clear parts of the building 'out of an abundance of caution.' The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has since confirmed it has identified a suspect, though no arrest has been made. DPS said an individual posted a message on social media calling on others to 'go to the Capitol building and take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave.' Troopers evacuated the Capitol around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and closed it to visitors for the rest of the day. The building reopened to the public the following morning at 9 a.m. In an Aug. 20 update, DPS said the suspect had been identified but no charges have been filed. 'The Department of Public Safety continues to investigate threats made by an individual and posted on social media. The individual has been identified; however, no arrests have been made at this time,' the agency stated. The threats came as Rep. Nicole Collier, a Democrat from Fort Worth, remained in the House chamber in protest of the Republican-backed redistricting plan. A viral TikTok video appeared to show a user calling himself 'gingerbeardmachine' urging followers to come armed to the Capitol and to 'shoot' if DPS and lawmakers did not comply with demands to release Collier. Capitol visitors were evacuated, but House Democrats said their members did not leave the chamber. Several DPS armed guards reportedly stood outside the chamber doors. The threats also fueled criticism online that Democrats are increasingly linked to extreme rhetoric and violent behavior. Social media users pointed out that the suspect's demands centered on Collier, a Democrat, and argued the incident reflected a broader pattern of hostility and lawlessness on the left. One post on X read, 'Is this domestic terrorist Democrat in custody yet? Two videos, one doxxing an ICE agent, the other telling people to go to the Texas Capitol and shoot Republicans if a Democrat representative doesn't get released! Let's make this terrorist famous by sharing!' The Texas House Democratic Caucus condemned the threats, thanking troopers for their 'swift and professional response.' 'Violence and threats have no place in our democratic process, and we unequivocally condemn any threats against public servants or law enforcement, regardless of political differences,' the caucus said in a statement. DPS said normal operations have since resumed at the Capitol and encouraged Texans to report suspicious activity via the iWatchTexas mobile app, online, or by calling 1-844-643-2251. The Dallas Express reached out to DPS for confirmation on whether the individual was responsible for sparking the evacuation but did not receive a response. Solve the daily Crossword
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana school's recording ban is an assault on parents' rights
It's back-to-school season, and parents and kids around the country are prepping for the inevitable transition from summer fun to the fall grind. For one Indiana mom, the stakes are higher than normal. Nicole Graves has sued her school district, Whitley County Consolidated Schools in Columbia City, Indiana, in federal court with help from the Arizona-based Goldwater Institute. She alleges that her First and 14th Amendment rights were violated in a series of interactions with school administrators. All four of Graves' children still attend district schools, and she's rightly concerned – given how she's been treated – about potential retaliation from the administration. Here's what happened: According to the Goldwater Institute, in April 2024, Graves' seventh-grade daughter 'filmed her school bus driver walking up and down the aisle, smacking his belt against his hand with his pants falling and his underwear visible.' After that incident on her daughter's school bus, Graves set up a meeting with the school principal. She recorded the meeting because she wanted an accurate record of what transpired. When Graves wasn't satisfied with what the principal said, she posted the recording on social media. That angered school administrators, who contacted her via letter and told her she broke school policy by recording the meeting without permission. Even though Graves had been unaware of the policy, she was banned from school grounds and restricted in her communication with staff, unless she got written permission from the superintendent's office. While that absurd punishment has expired, the lawsuit seeks to overturn the ban on recording, which remains in place. 'This is not fun for me,' Graves told IndyStar. 'This is not something I ever thought I would have to fight for. But I am more than happy to stand up and fight and talk to who I need to talk to to get things to change because I think it's important for all the families in this school district.' Opinion: School choice wars miss the point. Data can't dictate our values. The complaint argues that the school's recording policy and the no-trespass and communication orders violate the First Amendment, 'which protects the right to record government officials in the performance of their duties.' Adam Shelton, the Goldwater staff attorney working with Graves, says these kinds of recordings fall squarely under the First Amendment. 'The First Amendment protects more than just speech, it also protects conduct that is inherently expressive and conduct that cannot be divorced from the speech creation process, like recording,' Shelton observed on X. 'This is especially true in situations involving parents and school officials.' While Democrats and teachers unions may think they know what's best for children, that's simply false. Parents do. This lawsuit also alleges that the school district violated Graves' constitutional right to direct her children's education. 'The orders also violate the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause, which protects the fundamental rights of parents to control and direct the education and upbringing of their children,' the complaint states. 'This right is the oldest right that the Supreme Court has recognized as one of the 'liberties' protected by the due process clause.' Hicks: Indiana's college crisis has nothing to do with woke campuses or high costs Graves' case reminded me of one I've written about before, regarding another Midwest mom who was shunned by her child's school district. Sandra Hernden of Michigan sued her school district in 2022 for violating her constitutional rights. She had complained to the school board about its COVID-19 policies in 2020, and board members responded by contacting her employer and then reporting her to the Biden administration's U.S. Department of Justice (remember how the DOJ went after parents as 'domestic terrorists'?). Hernden's case is ongoing. Steve Delie, an attorney with the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation that is representing Hernden, made oral arguments in June before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. 'Even if we assume there was no monetarily compensable injury, you're still talking about government officials taking advantage of their elected positions of power to silence opposition,' Delie told the court. 'That can't be the way society functions.' No, it can't. Kudos to these moms for their bravery and for standing up for parental rights everywhere.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Texas Capitol Evacuated After Shooting Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Parts of the Texas Capitol were evacuated on Tuesday evening following reports of an active shooter threat. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said the evacuation, which happened at around 6:30 p.m., was prompted by a threat posted online. "Earlier today, an individual posted a message on social media regarding the ongoing political situation at the Texas State Capitol. In that message, the individual calls on others to go to the Capitol building and take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave," the Texas DPS said. "For the safety of those at the Texas State Capitol, and out of an abundance of caution, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) evacuated the public from the Capitol building around 6:30 this evening. It will remain closed to the public for the remainder of the day." DPS said it is working to identify the suspect who posted the threat online, and added that no further details will be released until the investigation is completed. The Texas House Democrats released a statement thanking State Troopers for their response and condemning the incident. "Violence and threats have no place in our democratic process, and we unequivocally condemn any threats against public servants or law enforcement, regardless of political differences," they said. Texas State Troopers at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Monday. Texas State Troopers at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Monday. Stephen Spillman/AP This is a developing story. More to follow.
