Five people were killed Monday when a Nissan SUV burst into flames after it was struck by a driver who ran a red light on Tucsonโs southwest side, authorities said Tuesday.
The crash happened about 4:45 p.m. on Arizona 86 near South San Joaquin Road, west of the Tucson Mountains, the state Department of Public Safety said. That section of state highway is commonly known as West Ajo Way.
A westbound Toyota passenger car witnesses say was โtraveling recklessly leading up to the collision,โ struck the side of the SUV after running a red light, said Raul Garcia, a spokesman for DPS, in a news release Tuesday.
The impact pushed the SUV into the median, and it burst into flames.
All five people in the SUV died at the crash scene, Garcia said.
The unidentified driver of the Toyota was taken to a hospital.
Impairment of the Toyota driver is believed to be a factor in the crash, Garcia said.
Detectives are withholding the identities of the SUV passengers pending confirmation by Pima Countyโs Office of the Medical Examiner and next of kin notification, the release said.
Witness Sean Gueffroy was on his way to his motherโs home and was traveling behind the SUV when the crash occurred. He said he witnessed the SUV turning left when it was struck by the speeding Toyota. As the SUV burst into flames, Gueffroy and two other men ran toward the vehicle in an attempt to save whomever was inside, he said.
Gueffroy said they used steel-toed boots and a lead pipe to shatter the SUVโs windows and attempt to open the vehicleโs doors from the inside. The door handles, however, had been melted by the flames.ย
As the flames grew, there was nothing more the men could do besides step away to save themselves.
โThey were reaching for me and there was nothing I could do,โ Gueffroy said sullenly. โI felt helpless.โ
DPS continues to investigate with assistance from the Pima County Sheriffโs Department, the Pima County Attorneyโs Office and the Arizona Department of Transportation.
