3 dead, 4 injured after multi-vehicle car crash in northern Arizona

PHOENIX — At least three people were killed and four more were injured after three vehicles were involved in a collision along a highway in northern Arizona on Thursday.

🚨: Troopers are on scene of a multi-vehicle crash involving both fatalities and injuries on SR-89 at MP 353. Both directions of travel are closed. We are working with @ArizonaDOT to re-route traffic. There was also a brush fire as a result. No ETA to re-open.

— Dept. Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) August 31, 2018

An Arizona Department of Public Spokesperson said in an email that a vehicle driving along the State Route 89 north of Chino Valley crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a vehicle head-on. One of those vehicles then crashed into a broken-down pickup truck that was parked on the side of the highway.

At least two vehicles caught fire as a result. The fire then spread to nearby brush.

The driver of the SUV that crossed the center line was identified as 47-year-old Hue Sowash of Peach Springs and the driver of the vehicle that Sowash collided with was identified as 29-year-old Ian A. Castelhano of Crown King.

Both drivers were among the dead, as well as a 3-year-old passenger in Castelhano’s SUV. The child was not identified.

Two helicopters and multiple ambulances responded to the scene.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said SR 89 was closed between mileposts 348 and 362.

UPDATE: The road is closed between mileposts 348 and 362. Motorists should take State Route 89A, US 93 or Interstate 17 as alternates. #aztraffic https://t.co/4rZUXAC1xv

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) August 31, 2018

The southbound lanes reopened shortly before 10 p.m.

Drivers were encouraged to take alternate routes, including State Route 89A, U.S. 93 or Interstate 17.

There is no estimated time that the northbound lanes of the highway will reopen.

Traffic was being directed back towards Chino Valley.

The crash occurred on the same day that a Phoenix-bound commercial passenger bus and a semi-truck crashed along Interstate 40 in New Mexico, near the Arizona border, killing at least four people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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