COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — A Texas border patrol agent, his sister and his mother were killed on Mother's Day after being hit by a suspected drunk driver near Tuba City, Arizona, according to a verified GoFundMe for the victims.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials identified two of the victims as Eduardo "Lupe" Hurtado of Del Rio, Texas, and Jasmine Hurtado of Mesa. The third victim has not been identified by DPS but the fundraiser said it was Hurtado's mother.
The crash happened Sunday at about 3 p.m. in the southbound lane of State Route 89 at milepost 492 near Tuba City.
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A pickup truck traveling north veered into the shoulder and then over-corrected by steering into the southbound lane and striking another vehicle.
Two people in the victim's car survived their injuries. DPS has not disclosed their identities.
The FBI arrested the driver of the at-fault vehicle on suspicion of DUI, DPS said. The driver is facing charges of intoxication manslaughter.
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
