A collision that occurred on Friday morning involving an Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper and a pickup truck resulted in the closure of all northbound lanes on Interstate 17 in north Phoenix. The wreck took place near Union Hills Drive just after 9:30 a.m., as reported by AZFamily.com. No serious injuries were sustained in the crash, as confirmed by DPS officials.
According to the authorities, the trooper was on-site investigating a previous accident when his patrol SUV was rear-ended by the pickup, causing the truck to flip onto its side. The impact, sending cars into a frenzied scatter, blocked the bustling thoroughfare, forcing vehicles to reroute through the Black Canyon Highway bypass lane. This led to traffic backups stretching nearly three miles, as far back as the Greenway Road exit, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
In response to the incident, multiple emergency vehicles rushed to the scene to help clear the debris and manage the upheaval. Despite the chaos, the northbound lanes of Interstate 17 were cleared and reopened by 11:30 a.m., much to the relief of stranded and detoured commuters.
The crash area is known for traffic jams, especially during busy times. Friday's incident made traffic worse, with stranded drivers waiting for lanes to reopen. Quick emergency response prevented serious injuries and allowed the I-17 to reopen promptly.
