2 firefighters dead after head-on crash in eastern Arizona

PHOENIX — A total of three people, including two eastern Arizona firefighters, have died after a car crashed head-on into an ambulance on Sunday night, authorities announced Monday.

The crash happened around 10:15 p.m. near milepost 319 on State Route 260, about 14 miles southwest of Heber, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS).

The Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District (TMFMD) said two firefighters were killed: 31-year-old Brenna Kulikowski and 21-year-old Damon Thompson.

“Damon was just 15 days shy of his first year with the organization,” TMFMD Fire Chief Randy Chevalier said in a news conference.

DPS added that one person inside another car was also killed.

“The Arizona Department of Public Safety is working diligently to identify the occupant of the other vehicle, but I’d like to share my deepest condolences to the family of that individual,” Chevalier said.

Details of crash that killed firefighters in eastern Arizona

According to DPS, a driver was headed west on SR 260 when they crossed the center line and collided head-on with a TMFMD ambulance.

The driver of the car that crossed the center line and two people inside the ambulance were all pronounced dead at the scene, DPS said.

The department added that it is not known what caused the driver to cross the center line.

“I’d also ask for extreme patience as we work through this,” Chevalier said. “This is our first of this kind (of incident) and I’m not quite sure how to work through it and we’re going to work through it together as this team that you see before you.”

TMFMD is currently planning funerals for Kulikowski and Thompson.

“Please keep Brenna and Damon in your thoughts and prayers,” Chevalier said.

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