BENSON, Ariz. — The driver involved in a fatal wreck Wednesday in southern Arizona has still not been found, officials said.
The destructive wreck occurred along Highway 80 near milepost 290, according to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office.
One passenger in the wrecked vehicle died and two others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The driver could not be located at the time of the crash.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said Friday that the driver had still not been found. The identity of the deceased passenger could not be disclosed because the next of kin had not yet been notified.
DPS said this was possibly a case involving human smuggling.
Officials described the driver as a white or light-complected man, thin, about 6'0" tall, and wearing a grey shirt and tan pants.
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.