A Tempe-bound driver who left a Phoenix bar ended up about 100 miles in the wrong direction and triggered a wrong-way rollover crash on Interstate 10 near Tucson early on June 14, according to state authorities. The collision flipped another vehicle onto its roof and sent both drivers to nearby hospitals with what officials described as minor injuries. The suspected wrong-way driver was later tested and booked on multiple charges, including driving under the influence.
The chain of events started around 2:30 a.m., when dispatchers began fielding a flurry of 911 calls about a car headed west in the eastbound lanes of I-10 near Cortaro Farms Road. Troopers ultimately found the wreckage closer to Avra Valley Road. In a post on the Arizona Department of Public Safety page, officials said the wrong-way vehicle sideswiped another car, sending it rolling onto its roof.
A breath sample from the suspected wrong-way driver showed a blood-alcohol concentration of .214, nearly three times Arizona’s legal limit, and she told troopers she had been drinking and smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Both drivers were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries, and the wrong-way driver was booked into jail on multiple counts, including DUI, the outlet reported.
Why wrong-way crashes are so dangerous
Wrong-way collisions are notorious for their severity because they often put unsuspecting motorists into sudden, head-on or near head-on impacts with oncoming vehicles. A report from the Maricopa Association of Governments flagged wrong-way driving as a persistent problem across Arizona and highlighted early efforts to fight it, including larger warning signs, enhanced lane markings and camera-based systems to detect wrong-way entries sooner. The Maricopa Association of Governments “Spine” study laid out those initial countermeasures.
Legal implications
In Arizona, driving the wrong way while impaired can bump a DUI into aggravated felony territory. State law specifically lists “driving the wrong way on a highway” as one of the conditions that can trigger an aggravated DUI charge. Arizona Revised Statutes 38283 details the enhanced penalties and mandatory treatment requirements that come with an aggravated conviction.
In its social media recap of the crash, the Arizona Department of Public Safety boiled the takeaway down to a blunt formula: “DUI + Wrong-way Driving = JAIL.” The agency said it will keep pushing late-night travelers to line up sober rides instead of risking a highway disaster. Investigators have not released the driver’s name, and the case is expected to be forwarded to county prosecutors for formal charging decisions.
