A Thursday morning drive on Phoenix's west side turned fatal when a car reportedly hit debris, then careened into a light pole and a boulder before rolling over near 35th Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Phoenix Fire Department crews pronounced the driver, 67-year-old Bertha Pimentel Urena, dead at the scene. The crash happened shortly after 8 a.m. on June 25.
What Investigators Say Happened
According to a preliminary investigation described by Phoenix Police Sgt. John Buchanan to FOX 10 Phoenix, the vehicle was traveling south on 35th Avenue when it possibly struck debris in the roadway and lost control. The car then hit a light pole and a boulder before rolling over.
"It is unknown whether impairment was a factor in this collision," Buchanan told the station. Police said additional details remain part of the ongoing investigation.
How Neighbors Can Help Keep Roads Safer
Phoenix police continue to investigate the cause of the crash and have not released further information. In the meantime, residents who spot debris or other hazards in the roadway can flag problems through the city's myPHX311 portal. The system lists "Litter / Debris" and "Street Maintenance" as report types, and myPHX311 offers both online and app-based reporting options to help the city clear hazards more quickly.
