Head-on backs up cars for miles in both directions

An early morning crash at the intersection of Dry Creek Road and W. Hwy. 89A sent one person to the hospital with facial fractures and snarled rush hour traffic for more than two hours.

Head-on backs up cars for miles in both directions

An early morning crash at the intersection of Dry Creek Road and W. Hwy. 89A sent one person to the hospital with facial fractures and snarled rush hour traffic for more than two hours.

The Sedona Police Department and Sedona Fire District responded to the two-vehicle accident, which occurred at 6:15 a.m.

“A blue SUV was travelling north on W. Hwy. 89A and attempted to make a left turn onto Dry Creek Road when it collided with a white pickup travelling south on W. Hwy. 89A,” SPD Cmdr. Ron Wheeler said.

“Both drivers said they were clearing the intersection under a yellow light, so we’ll be reviewing the ADOT tapes to try to determine the cause,” Wheeler said.

Drivers of the two vehicles refused treatment at the scene, but a passenger in the SUV sustained facial fractures and had to be removed from the vehicle by firefighters, then transported to the Verde Valley Medical Center, in Cottonwood.

Just before the intersection was to be re-opened to traffic, the pickup truck burst into flames as it was loaded onto a flatbed wrecker.

“This added 40 minutes to the closure,” Wheeler said.

Northbound traffic was re-routed through the Cinedona Plaza and over White Bear Road until 8:30 a.m.

when W. Hwy. 89A was re-opened.

The intersection was closed to all traffic to allow rescue workers and police to work safely and also to reduce the possibility of additional accidents as motorists passed the crash.

Susan Johnson

Larson Newspapers