A deadly chain-reaction collision on Loop 202 brought a major stretch of the Phoenix freeway system to a standstill Tuesday after a motorcyclist was fatally injured. The crash happened just before 9 a.m. near 32nd Street, where investigators say a motorcycle became trapped beneath a commercial van during the multivehicle impact. Emergency crews freed the rider and rushed the person to a hospital, but the motorcyclist did not survive.
Another driver — a woman in one of the vehicles involved — was also taken to the hospital, though officials have not released details about her condition.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said seven vehicles were ultimately part of the wreck, which quickly triggered rolling lane closures. By midmorning, the disruption escalated into a full shutdown of the westbound Red Mountain Freeway at 40th Street, diverting commuters and backing up traffic for miles. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, the freeway reopened around 12:20 p.m., restoring normal flow after more than three hours of congestion.
For real-time updates on freeway conditions, drivers can monitor ADOT’s traffic resources online.
