A wrong-way crash caused huge traffic delays on the Loop 202 at Val Vista Thursday.
A white minivan was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of SR 202 around 4:30 p.m. when it collided with a SUV, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Capt. Damon Cecil said the minivan entered the highway after accelerating through a red light at Val Vista Road, entering the freeway headed in the wrong direction. The driver tried to make a U-turn in the middle of the freeway but overcorrected and instead turned all the way around before being hit by a vehicle traveling in the correct direction.
DPS officials said Thursday night, they believe the driver may have been impaired.
Wrong Way head-on collision W/B SR 202 at Val Vista. Impairment Suspected. #DPSNews pic.twitter.com/lNjwdqLkqK
— Dept. Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) April 8, 2016
Mesa fire officials say one person suffered minor injuries and is expected to be okay.
Loop 202 between Greenfield and Val Vista was closed until about 9 p.m. while crews worked to clear the scene and investigate the crash.
The driver of the vehicle, who has not been identified, is being investigated for possible impairment and criminal charges, DPS said in a news release.
Take a look at the charts below for wrong-way driving fatalities in the state. For a full-screen view, click here.
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