Blowing dust is to blame for a massive Interstate 10 closure as well as 12-car crash near the Arizona-New Mexico border.
It was the second time in four days that the same stretch of I-10 had to be closed due to zero visibility from dust.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials said the early afternoon crash in the San Simon area heavily damaged a parked DPS highway patrol vehicle.
1 @Arizona_DPS patrol vehicle involved in 7 vehicle crash on I10 at MP 376 San Simon. Trooper was not inside. pic.twitter.com/NIqFcdV7uH
— Kameron Lee, PIO (@dps_pio_lee) April 28, 2016
The trooper was not in the SUV at the time it was hit, according to DPS officials.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has closed the roadway in both directions between US 191 and Lordsburg, New Mexico as blowing dust continued to be a concern in the area.
Eastbound traffic is being diverted onto US 191 north to US 70 east in Safford, rejoining I-10 in Lordsburg. Westbound traffic will take US 70 from Lordsburg to Safford, before heading south on US 191 to rejoin I-10.
The detour is approximately 110 miles officials said.
Winds in the Valley are only forecast to reach 25 miles per hour or so, but could reach 50 miles per hour in the south and southeastern portions of the state.
