FLAGSTAFF, AZ — A crash early Saturday morning in Flagstaff left one man dead and sent a police officer to the hospital.
The two-car crash happened just after 7:30 a.m. along Butler Avenue on the city's east side.
According to officials, a Flagstaff police officer was behind the wheel of one of the vehicles involved.
Emergency crews began lifesaving efforts on both the officer and the other driver.
The other driver, a man, was pronounced dead at the scene. Flagstaff police say, at the request of the victim's family, they are not releasing the victim's name at this time.
The officer was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center with minor injuries and has been released.
On Tuesday, Flagstaff police said the officer was previously involved in an injury collision in June 2024.
Police say that crash was caused by the officer having a medical emergency.
After that accident, the officer was placed on leave pending medical assessments and was cleared by doctors to return to work in a non-driving, light-duty capacity in December 2024.
After multiple other medical evaluations, final medical clearance was obtained in July 2025. The officer returned to modified patrol duty on August 4 and full patrol duty on August 31.
The officer resigned from the department Tuesday due to medical reasons.
It's not clear if a medical emergency occurred amid Saturday's crash.
Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett issued the following statement about the deadly crash:
“The life of one of our community members tragically ended last Saturday and my heart goes out to everyone this individual personally touched. Several members of city and police leadership and I met with family and friends to express our heartfelt sorrow and share our condolences. I was touched by their expressions of love for this individual. I know I speak for the entire city council as I convey our sympathies for this tragic loss.”
Investigators with the Arizona Department of Public Safety are investigating the crash.
Flagstaff Police say they will also conduct a separate internal review.
