PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — A driver who sped along Interstate 10 into oncoming traffic before crashing his vehicle has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Timothy Broyles, 33, was sentenced this week in Pinal County Superior Court after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, unlawful flight and endangerment, according to the Pinal County Attorney's Office.
Last February, sheriff's office deputies attempted to pull over Broyles on I-10 and the defendant proceeded to speed up to 90 mph to evade law enforcement.
A high-speed chase ensued that resulted in Broyles crossing over the I-10 median and driving in the wrong direction. He eventually lost control and the vehicle rolled over.
Two passengers in the vehicle were ejected and sustained serious injuries. The driver had taken fentanyl and had to be given Narcan by paramedics, PCAO said.
Officials said the incident appeared to be a case of human smuggling.
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.
