A 16-year-old boy was airlifted to a Valley hospital with life-threatening injuries after deputies found him in a San Tan Valley roadway late Thursday night. Three other juvenile males who knew him were taken into custody for questioning and have since been released as the investigation continues.
Pinal County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a welfare-check call at around 11:30 p.m. Thursday near Murray Grey Drive, according to abc15.com. The outlet reported that deputies were sent to Murray Grey Drive near Empire Boulevard and Gary Road. When deputies arrived, they located the teen in the road with serious injuries, per the same abc15.com account.
Teen Airlifted With Life-Threatening Injuries
The teen was airlifted to a Valley hospital with life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's office said, according to the abc15.com report. FOX 10 Phoenix likewise reported that the boy was found injured on the San Tan Valley roadway and flown out in life-threatening condition. No further details on his current medical condition have been released.
Detectives took three juvenile males into custody for questioning, the station's report states. All three were later released pending further investigation. Officials said all of the males involved knew each other, though the circumstances connecting them to the injured teen have not been detailed publicly.
Investigation Ongoing, Cause Unconfirmed
The sheriff's office said the teen's injuries were consistent with being hit by a car. The investigation continues. Anyone with information has been asked to call 520-866-5111 and ask for Detective Ramon Gonzalez, per the abc15.com account of the sheriff's office request.
San Tan Valley has seen other roadway incidents involving young people hospitalized with serious injuries. In a separate case from January 2025, a child struck by a vehicle near Johnson Ranch Boulevard and Maravilla Drive was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, and deputies said at the time he should survive, according to azfamily.com. In that unrelated case, investigators sought a 2016–2024 four-door Kia sedan, possibly white, black or gray, missing its passenger-side mirror. The January 2025 incident involved a child struck by a vehicle, while Thursday's case involved a teen found on Murray Grey Drive.
