MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — A busy freeway was shut down for about six hours due to a deadly pedestrian crash in the East Valley amid rush hour traffic on Monday morning.
According to Department of Public Safety troopers, at least one vehicle initially struck a person, who was later identified as 63-year-old Bryan Horner of Mesa, on the Loop 202 Red Mountain, east of Dobson Road, around 6:15 a.m. Other vehicles then ran over Horner.
DPS Spokesperson Raul Garcia says it appears that a driver may have pulled over and gotten out of the vehicle before being hit by a passing car.
“For whatever reason, [the driver] was outside or partially outside of their vehicle, whether they had an issue with the vehicle or not or or something else, is what we’re working to determine,” Garcia said.
He warns drivers to be cautious if they step outside their vehicles on a busy freeway.
“Please don’t draw any comfort with standing around or looking around at what’s going on. We understand that initial shock of being involved in an incident or checking on your vehicle, but we do ask the public to to be wary of traffic in all directions, due to wrong ways or just people not being able to see in the area,” he explained. “It’s hard to tell when someone is in or out of their car at that point. Limited light, dark hours are more difficult.”
Garcia says drivers should get to higher ground immediately in an emergency.
“Generally, we do want folks to find a safe spot. Call 911 if you’re on the highway to let us know that you’re on the side of the road,” he said. “Get away from the vehicle, get to higher ground, put some concrete between you and traffic.”
Freeway cameras showed at least two vehicles parked on the shoulder of the freeway.
The westbound lanes were shut down at Country Club Drive, while westbound Alma School Road and McKellips Road on-ramps were also closed during the investigation. The freeway reopened shortly before 12:30 p.m.