SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — An overnight crash involving a motorcycle and two other vehicles on Loop 101 in Scottsdale left one person dead Monday, DPS officials said.
DPS identified the man as 56-year-old Sammy Eugene Shepherd of Phoenix.
The crash happened around 2:47 in the morning on the McDonald Drive overpass. According to DPS, a Jeep sideswiped a motorcycle, knocking the driver off the bike and onto the roadway. A Hyundai then struck the motorcycle, coming to a halt on the road.
Shepherd died on the scene, DPS said.
The driver of the Jeep, a 22-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital after her car rolled during the crash. She is under investigation for a suspected DUI, DPS officials said.
Loop 101 northbound was closed at McDonald Drive because of the crash, and reopened around 9:30 a.m., ADOT said.
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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.