PHOENIX — Four people, including a pregnant woman, were rushed to the hospital after a multi-vehicle crash near 32nd Street and McDowell Wednesday evening.
Phoenix police said when officers arrived on scene; they located a vehicle that had rolled over and struck a city bus.
After speaking to witnesses, police said they learned the vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run crash at 40th Street and McDowell Road and sped away from the area.
Police said the vehicle then ran a red light at 32nd Street and McDowell Road and collided with other vehicles at the intersection, struck a city bus, and came to rest on its roof.
Authorities told 12News that three of the victims, a pregnant woman, and two 18-year-olds, suffered non-life threatening injuries in the crash.
“We were basically just sitting there enjoying a simple day, and then all of a sudden a car comes barreling across the road and boom and bang,” said Irving Silva, one of the 11 drivers whose cars were hit. “My first thing was making sure my pregnant fiancé and daughter were okay.”
Silva said his fiancée is 38 weeks pregnant. She was taken to the hospital, but mom and baby are expected to be okay.
The 30-year-old hit-and-run driver was extricated from the rolled-over vehicle and was taken to the hospital in “extremely critical condition," firefighters told 12News.
The collision occurred at the same intersection where a driver crashed their car into a restaurant on Wednesday.
A couple of hours before the multi-vehicle collision, a motorist drove into the Sushi Sonora restaurant located near 32nd Street and McDowell Road.
This is a developing story. Stay with 12News for updates.
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Deaths on Arizona roads
Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation shows that roadway fatalities have been gradually rising in Arizona over the last decade:
2011: 825 deaths
2012: 821 deaths
2013: 844 deaths
2014: 774 deaths
2015: 895 deaths
2016: 952 deaths
2017: 1,000 deaths
2018: 1,010 deaths
2019: 982 deaths
2020: 1,057 deaths
ADOT offers driving tips on its website to help keep people safe on the road.
"There’s always room for improvement when it comes to road safety," the department said on its website.
ADOT's suggestions include:
Don’t speed or drive aggressively
Never drive while under the influence of substances
Avoid distractions while driving
Wear your seatbelt and make sure all passengers are doing the same
When an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road, move over
Stay extra aware in work zones
Be prepared for weather conditions that make driving dangerous
"Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511, downloading the AZ 511 app and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT," the department said.