YAVAPAI COUNTY, AZ — US 93 was closed from Interstate 40 to just northwest of Wickenburg for several hours Thursday after a deadly crash involving three commercial vehicles and a moving truck.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say the crash happened near mile marker 179, which is west of Congress and about 20 miles northwest of Wickenburg.
DPS says a box truck traveling north crossed the center line and hit a commercial vehicle and a moving truck. Another commercial vehicle was unable to avoid the crash and collided head-on with the box truck. This crash sparked a fire from both vehicles.
The driver of the box truck was killed. He has been identified as 66-year-old James Stephen Nowak of North Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two of the other drivers were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to DPS.
The fire from the crash spread to nearby brush but was quickly put out.
Two of the commercial vehicles involved included one that was hauling dirt-form copper concentrate, according to DPS.
Both directions of US 93 were closed for several hours as the crash was being investigated and cleaned up.
This section of roadway is among the stretches of 93 that are not yet 4-lane divided highway.
US 93 is the main roadway connecting Phoenix and Las Vegas.
ABC15 has reported for years about serious and even deadly crashes on US 93, especially between Interstate 40 and Wickenburg.
ADOT has been putting millions into US 93 to widen the roadway in recent years.
The latest projects were announced in 2022, and they will be completed between this year and 2027.
After those projects are completed, only 23 miles of US 93 will remain as single-lane road each way.
