A multi-vehicle crash in Glendale on Monday turned the busy intersection of 67th Avenue and Utopia Road into a fatal scene, leaving one person dead and shutting down the crossroads for hours as traffic backed up in every direction. Fire crews found one occupant inside a car who was pronounced dead at the scene, and several vehicles were left heavily damaged.
According to 12 News, Glendale Fire Department officials said the crash involved four vehicles, including a box truck and a minivan, and that the person who died had been inside one of the cars. Glendale Police also responded to a separate call nearby, where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in the same area.
Broader road-safety picture
According to ADOT, speeding, impairment and failing to wear seat belts remain leading contributors to traffic deaths across Arizona. The agency’s “There’s No Such Thing As Accidents” safety campaign focuses on curbing those behaviors in an effort to reduce preventable fatalities.
Trucks and passenger-vehicle risk
When commercial box trucks are involved in multi-vehicle collisions, the fallout for people in smaller passenger vehicles can be especially severe. Reporting from AZ Law Now notes that in Maricopa County most deaths in truck-involved crashes occur in occupants of passenger cars, underscoring how larger vehicles can amplify the damage.
Glendale Police are investigating both crash scenes, and officials say details are still limited as the inquiry continues. The identity of the person who died and the exact cause of the collision have not yet been released, and more information was not immediately available, according to 12 News.
