DPS identifies man killed in dust storm crash on I-10

CREATED Oct. 4, 2011 - UPDATED: Oct. 5, 2011

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  • I-10 back open after dust storm pileup near Picacho Video by kgun9.com

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  • I-10 south of Phoenix at the scene of a multi-car accident

  • One of many vehicles being towed from the scene of a multi-car accident on I-10 south of Phoenix.

Web Producer: Marissa Pasquet, Ina Ronquillo, Brian Pryor

PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - The Arizona Department of Public Safety has identified William Joseph Tatsch, 66 of Austin as the victim killed in the dust storm related crash on Interstate 10 on Tuesday.

DPS tells KGUN9 that at about 12:15 p.m., a strong dust storm moved through the area of Interstate 10 near Picacho Peak.  There was minimal visibility at the time of the collision.

There were two chain reaction crashes in the westbound lanes of I-10. The crashes involved both commercial vehicles and passenger cars.  There are a total of 16 vehicles involved.

Bart Graves with DPS tells KGUN9 there is one confirmed fatality and two additional victims with life threatening injuries resulting from the crash near Picacho Peak.

DPS re-opened traffic around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday evening after closing both directions due to poor visibility and allowing emergency vehicles to access the scene. Due to the poor conditions all patients were transported by ground ambulance to Tucson area hospitals.

Around 1:44 p.m., officers responded to another chain reaction dust storm related crash on the eastbound lanes of I-10 at McCartney Road. There were 8 vehicles involved in that crash resulting in two critically injured patients.

A total of 25 vehicles were involved in the crashes.