At Least 30 Vehicles Involved in Wreck That Closed I-10. Desert Dust to Blame

At least one person is dead and more than a dozen are injured thanks to a dust storm that caused a wreck on the I-10 this afternoon involving at least 30 vehicles.According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the wreck occurred near milepost 217, about a quarter-mile east of...

By James King

October 4, 2011

Audio By Carbonatix

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At least one person is dead and more than a dozen are injured thanks to a dust storm that caused a wreck on the I-10 this afternoon involving at least 30 vehicles.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the wreck occurred near milepost 217, about a quarter-mile east of Picacho Peak Road and roughly 40 miles north of Tucson.

DPS spokesman Bart Graves says officers responding to the colossal wreck reported having zero visibility because of the dust, and there were collisions in both the east and westbound lanes.

At the moment, Graves says one person has been confirmed dead. He expects the number of serious injuries to top 15.

Graves warns motorists in the area that both sides of the highway have been shut down indefinitely. He advises people in the area to use State Route 79.

The catalyst for the chain reaction of vehicle collisions is currently unclear -- all we know at this point is it was dusty and a lot of cars are involved.

Check back for updates.

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