Arizona’s monsoon weather had a hand in a fatal accident that claimed the life of a Winkelman man.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, on Thursday, July 25, 2013, at 3 p.m., a two-vehicle collision on Highway 77 at milepost 164.2, approximately eight miles south of Globe, a vehicle driven by Jody Gibson, 18, Tempe, was traveling north when it hydroplaned during a heavy rainstorm, crossed into the southbound lane and collided head on with a second vehicle, driven by Gilbert Meza, 47, Winkelman.
Gibson and her passenger, Angel Wheeler, 28, Tempe, sustained only minor injuries. Meza was pronounced dead.
The accident forced the closure of the highway for several hours while DPS officers investigated. Traffic between Globe and Winkelman was routed through Kearny and Superior on Highway 177.