A man was arrested after a crash resulted in part of the US 60 in the East Valley being shut down, authorities said. The incident, which happened near Val Vista Drive in Gilbert, caused significant traffic delays as the eastbound lanes were temporarily closed. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, the closure was captured by ADOT cameras, showing the interruption in the regular flow of vehicles.
The collision, involving a pickup truck and a car, was serious enough to warrant a response from Arizona's Department of Public Safety troopers. Despite the attempted negotiations, the driver at fault refused to exit his vehicle until troopers were finally able to take him into custody, reported 12News. The sequence of events leading up to the crash has not been disclosed, nor have details regarding any injuries sustained.
Following the arrest, the affected freeway sections were later reopened. Updates were provided by the Arizona DOT via X, detailing the reopening of the right and center lanes, though the HOV and left lanes remained closed at the time with no estimated time provided for a full reopening.
UPDATE: The right and center lanes of US 60 eastbound have reopened. The HOV and left lanes remain closed. There is no estimated time to reopen all lanes. pic.twitter.com/OimOjdLlbh
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) March 9, 2024
While the suspect's name has not been released, the situation was stabilized with no ongoing threat to public safety. Motorists seeking real-time road conditions in the aftermath were directed to the AZ511 app, AZ511.gov, or by calling 511, after the chaotic scene had cleared and normalcy on US 60 was restored, capturing a snapshot of the unforeseen disruptions that can ripple through our daily transits.
