1 Dead, 3 Injured in Head-On Crash in New River Sunday
UPDATED 11:52 a.m. — One person died and three were injured, two seriously, in a crash Sunday afternoon in New River involving a pickup truck and a side-by-side vehicle known as a UTV.
“The vehicles hit head on,” said Brent Fenton, spokesperson for Daisy Mountain Fire & Medical. “Both the driver and passenger of the UTV were thrown from the vehicle on impact. Sadly, the driver died on scene as a result of their injuries. The passenger sustained serious injuries and was transported to the hospital.”
The deceased was identified by Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office as 45-year-old Terry Wibel.
The driver of the truck had to be extricated and sustained “serious injuries, but is expected to recover,” Fenton told North Phoenix News, and “a passenger in the pickup was also injured [but] refused transport to the hospital.”
MCSO said the driver of the truck was 19-year-old Dakota Bixler.
The accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on the frontage road, just north of the I-17 interchange (not on I-17), near the Roadrunner Restaurant and Saloon.
“The Vehicular Crimes Unit responded and took over the investigation,” said MCSO Sgt. Bryant Vanegas, adding this morning that no further information was being released at this time.
“Initial reports, are that the UTV was having some sort of issue with it’s back right wheel assembly,” Fenton said. “Reports are that this caused the UTV to swerve into northbound lanes striking the pickup truck head-on.” He stressed, however, that this is based on preliminary reports only.
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