Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
A rollover accident southbound on I-17 just south of Anthem Way sent
a minor to the hospital shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday. The accident
was the third in a four-mile stretch on I-17 in the span of 16 hours.
COMMUNITY
NEWS
Staff Report~
11/16/2011
Daisy Mountain Fire Department reported to a pair of accidents with
serious injuries northbound along I-17 last week.
According to Daisy Mountain Public Information Officer Dave Wilson,
at approximately 6:30 p.m., on Nov. 9, a semi slowed to a stop at
approximately the Pioneer Exit (exit 225) because of northbound traffic.
An SUV behind the semi didn’t stop in time and ended up striking the
semi, becoming lodged underneath the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle had to be extricated and then was flown
to John C. Lincoln with serious injuries. Three minors, with minor
injuries, also were transported to the hospital.
Approximately three hours later and four miles north Daisy Mountain
Fire reported to a rollover accident at I-17 and Anthem Way.
“When we get to an accident we go through triage, where we establish
how many patients we have and what condition they’re in so we now
how to prioritize our efforts,” Wilson said. “When we got out of the
vehicle and began our search we couldn’t find any patients. It was
dark obviously so we started searching by foot and then it expanded
from there.”
An extensive search that included numerous Arizona Highway patrol
personnel and a helicopter eventually discovered the driver of the
vehicle on the south bound side of I-17 off to the west of the road.
“We’re unclear if he was ejected, but that’s what we have to believe,”
Wilson said. “Because of the extent of his injuries we just couldn’t
believe he would have been able to stumble his way that far."
The patient was flown to John C. Lincoln.
Wilson said that while both accidents caused slowing in the area neither
resulted in the closure of I-17.
The third I-17 accident through Anthem in less than 16 hours occurred
at approximately 9:42 a.m., Thursday morning when an SUV, travelling
southbound, flipped over just south of Daisy Mountain.
The driver and her daughter were able to get out of the vehicle. The
minor was transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
The vehicle blocked the left two lanes of traffic, causing slowing
in the area.