Four killed, two hurt in head-on crash on Highway 260 near Heber
AZ crash suspect admits to falling asleep: Docs
Court documents state that a New Mexico man who was arrested following a deadly Labor Day Weekend crash near Heber had admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel prior to the crash, and woke up when the cars collided.
NAVAJO COUNTY, Ariz. - Four people were killed in a Navajo County head-on crash on Monday, the Forest Lakes Fire District said.
What we know:
The Sept. 7 crash happened on Highway 260 near Camp Shadow Pines – a few miles west of Heber – around 12:30 p.m.
Four people were killed, and two people were flown to Valley hospitals.
All four of the victims were in the same car: Giovanni Uballe Huerta, 26, of Laveen; Kiah Jae Begaye, 26, of Mesa; a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old boy. Police said the two kids were the children of Huerta and Begaye.
"All four occupants were killed on impact and had to be extricated from the Nissan," court documents said.
In the other vehicle, which was a pickup truck, were a 14-year-old boy and a 21-year-old woman. A third person was also inside – Jesse David Lovato, 21, of Los Lunas, New Mexico – who was arrested and booked in jail on suspicion of manslaughter and aggravated assault. All three are from New Mexico.
Jesse David Lovato
Dig deeper:
In court documents, investigators say Lovato admitted to driving the vehicle, and said he was driving back home to New Mexico from Phoenix when he "fell asleep while driving and was awakened when the crash occurred and his truck rolled over."
What's next:
A Navajo County Superior Court judge has set a $5 million bond for Lovato.
What you can do:
Loved ones created a GoFundMe to help with memorial costs.
Map of the area where the crash happened