MESA, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) – Two children are dead following a crash on a busy freeway in Arizona.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the collision happened around 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday in the westbound lanes of the Loop 202 (Red Mountain) freeway near McKellips Road.
DPS spokesperson Bart Graves said a mother and her three kids were in a pickup truck when they slammed into a tow truck on the shoulder of the freeway at a significant rate of speed.
A 9-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl, who were inside the pickup truck, died at the scene, according to Graves.
The third child, a 6-year-old boy, suffered minor injuries.
“The force of the impact was such that it not only sheared off the right side of the pickup truck where they were riding but they were killed instantly by the impact,” Graves said. “They didn’t have a chance, and it’s very sad.”
The tow truck driver was uninjured in the crash.
But the children’s 36-year-old mother was also hospitalized.
“She may have been distracted by what was going on in the vehicle at the time of the crash,” Graves said. “As I understand it, it was kids playing loudly, roughhousing in the backseat, or some kind of thing that distracted her from the road.”
Graves said troopers don’t believe she was impaired at the time of the crash.
“Slow down, pay attention. Do not get distracted by things in your car if you have kids,” Graves said. “Stay off the phone. By all means, do not drive impaired or fatigued either.”
The crash shut down the freeway’s westbound lanes for about six hours.
Authorities said the mother is not currently facing criminal charges; however, she could be charged with misdemeanor distracted driving.
A GoFundMe has since been set up to help the family.
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