Early morning traffic in Peoria was disrupted following a fatal collision involving two vehicles. The crash, which occurred near 91st Avenue and Thunderbird Road, resulted in the death of one person and minor injuries to another. Peoria Police were called to the scene around 4:28 a.m. and subsequently confirmed the unfortunate outcome. "Tragically, one individual was pronounced deceased at the scene. A second individual sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment," read a part of the statement acquired by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The individual who tragically lost his life in the collision has been identified as 69-year-old Donald Schmitt, Jr., a resident of Peoria. The incident involved a Ram pickup truck and a Mercedes-Benz sedan, with Schmitt at the wheel of the sedan. The AZ Family reports suggest that the crash was possibly caused when Schmitt was struggling to maintain control of his vehicle due to a flat tire. The investigation concluded that he lost control and struck a curb before rear-ending the Ram and colliding with a tree in the center median.
As a consequence of the accident, 91st Avenue was closed to all traffic in both directions between Desert Harbor Drive and 90th Lane. The road was reportedly reopened later that afternoon, around 1:15 p.m. The event led to significant disruptions in the area, with commuters advised to seek alternate routes during the closure period.
Currently, authorities are continuing to piece together the details of the incident. The investigation is ongoing as officers work to understand fully all contributing factors.
