Phoenix pileup: Children hospitalized, 5 others 'critical' after crash

Children injured, 5 adults 'critical' in 6-car Phoenix pileup

A major six-vehicle collision at a Phoenix intersection Saturday evening left 10 people injured, sending five adults.

PHOENIX - Phoenix firefighters dispatched to a major traffic accident Saturday evening discovered a chaotic scene involving six vehicles and 10 injured people.

What we know:

Emergency crews responded around 7 p.m. to the intersection of 16th Street and Thomas Road following multiple reports of a multi-vehicle crash. Fire crews found six vehicles heavily damaged in the collision.

A 26-year-old man in a Toyota Tacoma was speeding on northbound 16th Street, and ran into traffic stopped at a red light. The driver struck two vehicles at the intersection. 

A second speeding driver, identified as a 33-year-old man in a Pontiac G6, was behind the Tacoma, and struck the back of another stopped car. The impact pushed that vehicle into an oncoming car in the southbound lanes of 16th Street. "The driver of the Pontiac suffered life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition," officials said in a statement on May 31. 

On May 30, officers said a total of 10 patients were evaluated at the scene. Phoenix Fire Department Capt. DJ Lee confirmed that eight patients required emergency transportation to nearby hospitals, while two people refused medical transport.

Among those rushed to the hospital, an adult man is fighting for his life, taken in "extremely critical" condition, who was later confirmed to be the Pontiac driver. Four other adults, including three men and one woman, also remain in critical condition.

An adult man and an adult woman evaluated at the intersection refused further medical transport.

Three children, ages 4, 6, and 8, were all taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Impairment and speed are believed to both be contributing factors in the crash. The drivers and passengers in the vehicles struck by the Tacoma and Pontiac showed no signs of impairment. 

What we don't know:

The identities of the speeding drivers were not released. 

What's next:

The investigation into the crash remains ongoing. Charges for the speeding drivers are pending the outcome of the investigation.