Child dead, 3 others injured after wrong-way crash on Loop 202 Sunday; driver arrested

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say a child was killed in a wrong-way crash on South Mountain Loop 202 Sunday afternoon. Multiple others were also hurt.

The crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. near 32nd Street when a vehicle driving westbound in the eastbound lanes struck another vehicle.

On Monday, DPS said a 10-year-old boy was killed in the crash. The boy was a passenger in the wrong-way vehicle.

The child's mother and 5-year-old sibling were also in the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. The wrong-way vehicle was driven by the woman's boyfriend, identified as 34-year-old Allen Michael Johnson.

MCSO

According to police documents, Johnson admitted to drinking and knowing he was driving in the wrong direction. He said he did not feel impaired by the alcohol, according to police.

Blood tests after the crash confirmed his blood alcohol content was .327, according to documents.

Johnson has since been arrested and booked into jail on charges of aggravated assault and second-degree murder.

Officials say that five vehicles total were involved in the crash. Another adult, who was not in the wrong-way vehicle, was injured.

Phoenix Fire officials initially said the children involved were a 12-year-old and a 9-year-old girl, but DPS later confirmed they were both boys, ages 10 and 5.

Sunday's crash marked the fourth wrong-way crash for the month of May on Valley freeways.

Professional driving instructor Steven Aragon with ABC Driving Company says wrong-way drivers are a big concern in the Valley.

Aragon says in this case, you always want to be in ‘fight’ mode.

“So that they’re aware of their surroundings, they have situational awareness, and they’re not freaking out…keeping their foot on the brake or the gas and doing something that would cause more of a panic or more chaos,” he told ABC15.

An investigation remains underway.