15 people hospitalized after large rollover crash
Jul 12, 2013, 1:25 PM | Updated: 2:22 pm
PHOENIX — Fifteen people were injured in a large rollover crash near Casa Grande, Ariz., on Friday.
The victims were hospitalized after a 15-passenger van crashed at milepost 194 on Interstate 10.
“This was a church van,” said Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves. “There was a heavy downpour. The vehicle hydroplaned. The driver lost control. The vehicle rolled over.”
The passengers, primarily a number of young boys, sustained minor injuries.
A large dust storm was moving through the area at the time.
During dust storms, the visibility on I-10 drops to near-zero.
The Arizona Department of Transportation says motorists should avoid driving into dust storms in the first place by planning ahead and being prepared to change travel plans.
The driver-safety campaign advises motorists who find themselves in a dust storm to pull off the highway and park in a safe place off the pavement.
Other recommendations include turning off all lights, keeping your foot off the brake and staying in the vehicle while waiting for the storm to pass.
KTAR’s Martha Maurer and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
