A vehicle entering Douglas. Ariz. on Thursday morning at about 80 mph and ‘driving recklessly,’ according to Douglas Police Department (DPD), hit another car in an intersection, resulting in three deaths and a number of other injuries.
The fast-moving vehicle collided with another driver at the intersection of 15th Street and A Avenue, according to DPD. Only a few minutes prior to the crash, police say the vehicle was first seen entering town from State Route 80 east of Douglas. Officers say they alerted other patrol units at this time, but did not follow the vehicle or turn on patrol cars’ emergency lights prior to the crash.
According to police, the crash ejected “several” people from the reckless driver’s car. Police and fire medics arrived at the scene of the crash to provide medical aid. Three people, all passengers in that same car, were killed.
Authorities assisting with the incident conducted an investigation at the crash site, determining that two of the people killed were undocumented non-citizens, as were two more people with minor injuries who were taken to the hospital.
The driver of the vehicle hit by the reckless driver sustained serious injuries, but police say those injuries are non-life-threatening.
Douglas PD says the investigation remains ongoing on that “law enforcement is aware that drivers involved in human smuggling are routinely told to travel at high rates of speed in order to dissuade law enforcement from engaging in pursuit.”