A Saturday afternoon accident involving a local Jeep tour company left three people being transported to the hospital.

Sedona Fire District was dispatched to State Route 89A near Page Springs Road at 4:05 p.m. Saturday, March 24. Upon arrival, firefighters found a tour Jeep that had been carrying six passengers plus the driver. The Jeep had rolled over but came to rest in an upright position, SFD Fire Marshal Jon Davis said.

A small brush and grass fire had been ignited as a result of the accident.

All occupants were out of the vehicle, with the driver having been removed from the Jeep by people at the accident scene. The driver was transported by helicopter to Flagstaff Medical Center with serious injuries. Two other occupants were transported by ambulance to Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood and were later released. Four occupants refused treatment or transport.

Sgt. Stephanie Foley, of the Sedona Police Department, said they responded to the scene but turned the incident over to the Arizona Department of Public Safety once they arrived, since it was outside Sedona’s jurisdiction.

A DPS spokesman said on Monday, March 26, the incident is under investigation but the preliminary cause appears that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to go off the side of the road.

This accident highlights the importance of wearing seatbelts, Davis said. The odds of surviving a rollover accident are greatly increased by wearing a seatbelt.

“Nearly three-quarters of people who are ejected from the vehicle in an accident suffer fatal injuries,” Davis said. “When worn properly, your seatbelt keeps you restrained inside the vehicle.”

Davis added that rollover accidents account for only 3 percent of all motor vehicle accidents but are responsible for 30 percent of the fatalities.

Ron Eland can be reached at 282-7795 ext. 122, or email reland@larsonnewspapers.com