Trucker Shot on I-10; No Evidence It's Related to Freeway Shooter

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is investigating the shooting of a trucker in the leg as he drove I-10 in the West Valley Friday morning. Early details are sparse.

By Sean Holstege

June 2, 2017

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Authorities are not saying much about the apparent shooting and wounding of a truck driver on Interstate 10 Friday morning.

A commercial truck driver reported he’d been shot in the lower left leg at 7:06 a.m., according to a statement issued later by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

DPS declined to answer a Phoenix New Times question if there were any significant similarities between Friday’s and a series of 2015 shootings on I-10, or if the incidents appeared unrelated.

DPS said its detectives are investigating the incident, but offered no other details.

“It is unclear at this time where the incident occurred. The incident is currently under investigation and we do not have any additional information to release at this time,” DPS said.

Valley television station Channel 15 and azcentral.com reported the shooting happened near Verrado Way in Buckeye, but DPS would not confirm that.

The shooting takes on added significance, because the Valley is closing in on the second anniversary when somebody began shooting at cars along I-10. The so-called Freeway Shooter spiked with a string of shootings in late August 2015.

The shooter has never been caught.

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Sean Holstege is a former editor of Phoenix New Times. He's been a print news reporter for 35 years. He was an investigative reporter at The Arizona Republic and the Oakland Tribune. He won a Sigma Delta Chi award for investigative reporting. He’s covered transportation, terrorism, the border, disasters, child welfare, courts, and breaking news.

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