A truck driver from Florida was killed Wednesday afternoon in a crash of two tractor-trailer rigs on Interstate 10 east of Tucson.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety identified the driver as Florin Grigore, 33, from West Palm Beach. The driver and an occupant of the other rig, Christopher Gipson, 41, from Houston, and Melvinette Gipson, sustained non life-threatening injuries in the crash, east of the Texas Canyon rest area.
The crash occurred shortly before 3 p.m. on the interstate's westbound lanes at mile post 325, said Quentin Mehr, an DPS spokesman. The incident happened about five miles east of the rest area.
Mehr said the rig driven by Gipson was allegedly traveling below the speed limit in the outside lane of traffic on I-10. The rig driven by Grigore was also in the right lane and collided with the back of Gipson's vehicle, causing extensive damage to the front of Grigore's rig.
Grigore was pronounced dead at the scene, Mehr said. Christopher Gipson was treated at the scene, Melvinette Gipson was taken to a Tucson hospital for her injuries.
Mehr said westbound I-10 was closed for nearly seven hours because of the crash and investigation.
