Deadly crash on Carefree Highway Sunday morning

PEORIA, Ariz. (KSAZ) - One person was killed and a second person hurt after a crash on the Carefree Highway near Castle Hot Springs Road this morning.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers, the crash happened just after 6 a.m. on Sunday. Troopers say the vehicle plunged down a ravine off the Carefree Highway near Castle Hot Springs Road.

Troopers say the driver of the vehicle killed, and a second person, the passenger, was flown to the hospital with serious injuries. Trooper Quentin Mehr confirms that both were wearing their seatbelts.

Because the vehicle went down into a ravine 10 to 15 feet below the level of the road, the crash was not visible from the highway. A spokesperson for DPS says help arrived only because the passenger was able to get crawl out of the vehicle and reach the highway.

DPS troopers are on-scene investigating.

The highway was open for traffic by 7:30 a.m., Sunday.