The woman who was killed got out of her car to check on a car that had crashed on the Loop 202 near 40th Street in Phoenix when she was hit by a car and killed.
PHOENIX — EDITOR’S NOTE: The Arizona Department of Public Safety initially reported the crash was a wrong-way crash.
An East Valley woman was killed in a series of crashes involving several vehicles in Phoenix Sunday morning, according to authorities.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said the person killed was a good Samaritan who stopped to help after the initial crash.
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DPS said the first crash happened at 5:20 a.m. in the westbound lanes of State Route 202 near 40th Street in Phoenix.
Seven vehicles were involved in five separate crashes, according to DPS.
In the first crash, a driver heading westbound on SR 202 lost control of their car and hit the median wall at 40th Street. The vehicle, a Dodge Durango, spun around and ended up facing the wrong way, blocking the center lane of traffic.
Just after this, a woman, described by DPS as a good Samaritan, stopped her vehicle on the right emergency shoulder, put on her hazard lights and got out of her car to see if anyone in the Durango was injured.
At the same time, another driver saw the first Dodge Durango facing the wrong direction and swerved to the right to avoid it, hitting good Samaritan. This was the second of the five crashes.
The good Samaritan was taken to the hospital, where she later died. She’s been identified as Catherine King, 51, of Mesa.
The driver who swerved to avoid the first vehicle was injured and transported to the hospital.
According to DPS, a tire that came off the Dodge Durango went into the eastbound lanes of SR 202, which caused the third crash. No one was injured in this instance.
DPS said the fourth crash happened when another vehicle hit the disabled Dodge Durango. This driver remained on the scene and was not injured.
A short time later, a fifth collision occurred involving three vehicles. No one was injured, but one of the drivers involved was arrested for DUI, according to DPS.
DPS said the vehicle crimes unit is investigating the crash. Impairment is believed to be a factor in the crash.
Troopers are still looking for the driver of the Dodge Durango, who they said ran from the scene of the crash before the good Samaritan was hit and killed. DPS has not released any information about the driver.
The crashes caused the westbound lanes of SR 202 to be closed, but they reopened at 11:06 a.m. on Sunday.
No one involved in any of the five crashes has been identified.
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