UPDATE (10 a.m., Oct. 15):
According to Arizona Department of Public Safety, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee, identified as 82-year-old Waymon Hamlett of Tucson, died Wednesday morning while in hospital.
UPDATE (11:36 a.m., Oct. 14):
Arizona Department of Public Safety provided more information Tuesday on the fatal crash that killed three Saturday.
According to DPS, the crash took place at around 8:10 p.m. at milepost 168.
A Jeep Cherokee SUV was making a left turn when it was struck by a Ford Fusion sedan, DPS said.
The SUV, a rideshare vehicle, rolled off the road. Its two passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. DPS identified them as 25-year-old Aleesha Herrington and 48-year-old Dejon Nicole Weaver.
The sedan came to a stop in the road. A 17-year-old passenger in the sedan also died at the scene.
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Authorities are investigating a deadly crash that claimed three lives and injured three others late Saturday night on Ajo Highway (Route 86) near the intersection of Old Ajo Way on Tucson’s west side.
Greg Van Alstine, Deputy Chief of the Santa Rita Fire District, confirmed that the collision happened on the night of October 11 when two vehicles were involved in a violent T-bone crash, resulting in significant damage.
One vehicle remained in the eastbound lanes, where a male victim was found dead at the scene. The second vehicle crossed the median, went over the guardrail, and slammed into a mesquite tree.
Drexel Heights fire crews, working alongside the Department of Public Safety (DPS), launched a helicopter to assist in what Van Alstine described as a “lengthy extrication process.” When rescuers were able to reach the second vehicle, they found two additional victims dead inside.
Three people were transported to Banner Medical Center, two in stable condition and one in critical condition. The ages and identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Route 86 was closed in both directions overnight as emergency crews worked the scene and later reopened early Sunday morning.
This is a developing story, and updates will be posted as more details are confirmed.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
