Woman dead following crash in Paradise Valley, authorities say

Phoenix woman killed following two-car crash

The woman, according to investigators, was driving a Tesla electric car when the car collided with another vehicle. First responders, meanwhile, say they are encountering more incidents involving electric cars, and the process is more complicated and time consuming. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. - A woman is dead after her car collided with another vehicle.

The crash happened in the area of 47th Street and McDonald on Dec. 6. According to a brief statement by Paradise Valley Police officials, both cars involved in the crash were occupied by only one person.

According to officials, the woman, who was driving a Tesla, did not complete the turn at the bend of the road, and collided with a Ford Bronco. The woman was identified by DPS as 36-year-old Nicole Baldovino. According to her LinkedIn page, she worked for Swift Transportation.

DPS officials say investigators have no way of knowing if the Tesla's autopilot was engaged during the crash. Meanwhile, impairment is not a factor.

As for the other driver involved in the crash, that person suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

First responders encountering more crashes involving EVs

First responders say they are encountering more incidents involving electric vehicles.

"There’s more of them on the road now," said Evan Gammage with the Phoenix Fire Department.

Phoenix firefighters are prepared to respond toEV crashes and fires, which burn hotter and longer.

"The ion batteries, the process isn't as much focused on the fire itself, but the cooling process," said Gammage. "Unfortunately, our only route to do that is flow continuous water on it until it cools down and not reignites or sparking."

Gammage says it takes several more hours and a lot more water, because they have to continuously soak the EV.

"If we have to extricate anybody out of them, we have to be careful where we cut into the vehicle because of the electric lines that run throughout the vehicle," said Gammage.