A terrifying crash near an Arizona lake left nine people injured — several of them critically — after a utility terrain vehicle carrying multiple teens and children slammed head-on into a pickup truck in a massive collision clouded by dust and poor visibility.
The frightening accident happened Sunday afternoon north of Lake Pleasant near French Creek Road.
According to local authorities, officers with the Peoria Police Department and emergency crews rushed to the scene around 1:45 p.m. after reports of a serious two-vehicle crash.
When first responders arrived, they found a pickup truck and an off-road UTV destroyed from the violent head-on collision.
Investigators say the two vehicles were traveling in opposite directions when they crashed into each other.
Officials believe blowing dust and reduced visibility may have played a major role in the terrifying accident.
According to reports, there were two adults riding inside the pickup truck and seven people packed into the UTV, including multiple juveniles.
Authorities said the UTV was reportedly being driven by a teenager at the time of the crash.
The victims ranged in age from 16 to 48 years old.
Emergency crews launched a massive rescue effort following the collision, with several victims suffering life-threatening injuries.
Four people riding inside the UTV were hospitalized in critical condition.
Three victims had to be airlifted to nearby hospitals while another was transported by ambulance on the ground.
Three additional people suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals for treatment.
Officials later revealed troubling details about the overcrowded UTV.
According to police, some passengers were not properly seated inside the vehicle at the time of the crash.
One passenger was reportedly sitting on another passenger’s lap and was not wearing a seatbelt.
Authorities are now using the crash as a warning about off-road vehicle safety.
“Wear the protective gear, the proper protective gear,” Peoria Police Sgt. Araceli Montes said following the accident.
“Make sure you’re secured in that vehicle. Make sure that you are riding with the right amount of people that the vehicle is made for,” she added.
Montes also warned drivers to pay close attention to dangerous visibility conditions caused by blowing dust in the desert area.
The crash remains under investigation as officials continue working to determine exactly what caused the devastating collision.
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So the owner of this UTV thought it was a good idea to allow their teenager to overload it? Parents can be so stupid now all these kids families are going to file lawsuits. This all could have been so easily avoided. And when you can’t see slow down, when you see a cloud of dust you know a vehicle of some kind is coming at you even if you don’t see the vehicle.