Fatal head-on collision on state route 77 north of Mammoth

DPS officers are investigating a two-vehicle, head-on collision which occurred yesterday morning at milepost 123 on State Route 77 north of Mammoth. Three people suffered fatal injuries in the collision and five people were transported to a hospital in Tucson for treatment of their injuries.

The collision occurred at about 7:48 a.m. when a white pickup was northbound on State Route 77 in the area of milepost 123.

For an unknown reason, the driver of the pickup switched lanes, going northbound in the southbound lane of traffic. A white van, which was traveling southbound, saw the oncoming pickup and attempted to avoid a collision with it by changing lanes into the northbound lane of travel.

At that point, the pickup changed lanes back into the northbound lane and the two vehicles collided head-on. Three people in the van received fatal injuries. The driver of the pickup and four other people from the van were transported to a hospital in Tucson for treatment. One of the injured sustained life-threatening injuries.

DPS was assisted at the scene by personnel from Pinal County Fire and Rescue out of Mammoth and Rural Metro Ambulance.

The investigation of this collision is in its early stages and impairment has not been ruled out. Names of the deceased will not be released until next of kin notification is been made.

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