A tragic crash in eastern Arizona has left three people dead, including two firefighters from the Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District.
The collision happened late Sunday night along State Route 260, roughly 14 miles southwest of Heber. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, a westbound vehicle crossed the center line near milepost 319 and slammed into an oncoming ambulance just after 10 p.m.
Inside the ambulance were 31-year-old Brenna Kulikowski and 21-year-old Damon Thompson, both members of Timber Mesa Fire and Medical. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said the driver of the other vehicle was also killed.
Timber Mesa Fire Chief Randy Chevalier said the loss is unlike anything the department has faced before. “Damon was just 15 days shy of completing his first year with our organization,” he noted, adding that the department is now preparing funeral services for the fallen firefighters.
Officials are still working to identify the driver of the other car and have not yet determined what caused them to veer into oncoming traffic.
“This is our first incident of this kind, and we’re going to work through it together,” Chevalier said at a press conference. He also asked the community to keep the families of both firefighters in their thoughts during what he described as an “unimaginably difficult time.”
The crash remains under investigation by state authorities.
