On December 12, at approximately 8:30 p.m., deputies of the Tombstone Marshal’s Office and Cochise County Sheriff’s Office responded to Milepost 15 on Charleston Road regarding a motor vehicle accident involving students of Yellowjacket High School in Tombstone who were driving to Sierra Vista after a school function.
Cochise County Sheriff’s Office reports that a single vehicle was involved carrying five passengers, with four of the occupants under the age of 18 years old. The vehicle, while traveling south on Charleston Road, appeared to over correct through a curve, causing the vehicle to lose control and drive off the roadway onto the shoulder and subsequently into a runoff ditch causing the vehicle to vault and partially roll onto the driver’s side.
Three occupants of the back seat were ejected as a result of the crash causing serious injuries, with one fatality.
The driver, who was 19 years old, was pinned in the driver seat of the vehicle requiring extrication from the vehicle along with the front passenger. All four of the remaining injured were flown by helicopter to Banner University Hospital or TMC Hospital for treatment. Several Cochise County Sheriff’s Deputies and Tombstone Deputies were providing medical treatment until Sierra Vista Fire Department could arrive on scene.