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On Friday, January 30, 2015, DPS officers investigated a two vehicle collision involving three fatalities and multiple injuries. The collision occurred on State Route 77 near Aravaipa.
The collision occurred at about 7:48 a.m. when a white pickup was northbound on State Route 77 in the area of milepost 123.
For an unknown reason, the driver of the pickup switched lanes, going northbound in the southbound lane of traffic. A white van, which was traveling southbound, saw the oncoming pickup and attempted to avoid a collision with it by changing lanes into the northbound lane of travel.
At that point, the pickup changed lanes back into the northbound lane and the two vehicles collided head-on. Three people in the van received fatal injuries. The driver of the pickup and four other people from the van were transported to a hospital in Tucson for treatment. One of the injured sustained life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the van, Rodger D. Fugett, 53, of Mammoth died at the scene from injuries sustained in the collision. Passengers Francisco R. Calzadillas, 49, of Winkelman and Troy A. Brownrigg II, 34, of Oracle also died at the scene from their injuries. The driver of the pickup, Mark J. Reynoso, 32, of Mammoth was transported from the scene to a hospital in Tucson for treatment of injuries sustained in the collision. Passengers in the van, William L. Reidhead, 53, of Mammoth, Jeffrey R. Herelko, 61, of Oracle, Freda F. Davis, 62, of Kearny, and Francis L. Hawkins, 34, of San Manuel were also transported to Tucson for treatment of their injuries.
DPS was assisted at the scene by personnel from Pinal Rural Fire Rescue, Mammoth Fire Department, Dudleyville Fire Department, San Manuel Fire Department, Golder Ranch Fire District, Southwest Ambulance and Rural/Metro Ambulance.
The investigation of this collision is in its early stages and impairment has not been ruled out.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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