PHOENIX, AZ – A deadly collision involving a garbage truck led to the closure of a busy Phoenix intersection on Monday afternoon, officials said. The crash occurred near 40th and Cholla streets around 3:15 p.m., involving three vehicles.
Rescue crews responded swiftly to the site, where Phoenix Fire officials reported that one individual required extraction from the wreckage. The incident left two men and a child with injuries of varying severity, necessitating hospital treatment.
Tragically, the crash claimed the life of 44-year-old John McLaughlin, authorities stated.
Officials explained that the disaster began when the garbage truck struck a small SUV carrying a man and a child before also hitting a Waste Management vehicle.
The impact propelled the SUV off the road, where it subsequently collided with a wall, according to officials. As a result of the crash, 40th Street, between Cactus Road and Shea Boulevard, was closed in both directions.
Investigators are currently trying to find out the exact cause of the collision, and traffic updates will follow as the situation unfolds.