An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper was hospitalized with significant injuries after a crash closed eastbound Interstate 10 near Benson Monday morning. The available report did not give an estimated reopening time.
The collision was reported around 9:40 a.m. near milepost 302, close to Benson, according to 12News. DPS said the commercial vehicle driver involved was not injured.
DPS said it was investigating, but its report did not detail how the crash occurred.
Eastbound I-10 Closure
The crash caused the closure of the eastbound I-10 lanes in southern Arizona, and as of the report there was no estimated reopening time for the roadway. Westbound lanes were not affected by the crash and remained open to traffic, as noted by 12News.
The Arizona Department of Transportation recommended that drivers seek an alternate route while the closure remains in effect. Motorists looking for real-time updates on the closure can check az511.gov, which provides up-to-the-minute traffic and transit information for the state, including traffic accident details.
What Remains Unknown
Beyond the details confirmed by DPS, much about the crash remains unclear. The identities of the trooper and the commercial vehicle driver, the hospital where the trooper was taken, and the precise cause of the collision have not been released.
Roadside safety and crash data
Arizona law requires drivers approaching a stationary vehicle displaying flashing or warning lights on a highway with at least four lanes and two lanes in their direction to move to a nonadjacent lane when possible and safe. If they cannot do so safely, they must proceed cautiously and slow down, under A.R.S. § 28-775. Available reports do not say whether those conditions applied in this crash.
A 2018 report by Safety+Health Magazine, summarizing NHTSA researchers’ analysis, said 48 law enforcement officers were struck and killed by other vehicles between 2010 and 2015. That historical figure does not establish what caused the Benson crash.
The investigation and the eastbound closure remained unresolved in the available report.
