Labor Day weekend turned deadly for several motorists on Arizona highways

PHOENIX - Four fatal accidents on Arizona highways during Labor Day weekend killed six people and injured others, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, a six vehicle crash on Interstate 19 in southern Arizona left one man dead and several people injured. Luis Valles, 40, of Tucson, was driving a motorcycle when he was hit by a car. DPS said he was not wearing a helmet and was killed at the scene.

The other three fatal crashes occurred on Saturday. At around midnight Saturday, a single vehicle went off the road on SR 264 near Tuba City. The crash, which caused the vehicle to roll several times, killed Robert Henson, 18, and Bryce Carrigan, 14, of Midland Texas, and injured four others, according to DPS.

At approximately 10:45 a.m. Saturday, another single vehicle crash on Interstate 8 near Welton killed both the driver and his passenger. Philip Shelton, 21, was driving and Alyssa Cusimano, 19, was the passenger. DPS said the car went off the road and hit a tree.

The same day, around 1:20 p.m., a third single vehicle fatal crash happened on Interstate 19. DPS said the driver lost control of his vehicle after one of the tires blew out and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The crash killed Nazario Ochoa, 48, of Nogales.

DPS reports that the number of fatal collisions has dramatically increased in the past few months. They want to keep the number from climbing higher, so DPS urges drivers to observe speed limits and wear seatbelts.