MESA, AZ — A motorcyclist is dead after the third serious crash in a week at SR 24 and Signal Butte Road in Mesa.
Mesa police say they were called Saturday evening to the intersection for a crash involving a motorcyclist.
First responders arrived and pronounced the motorcycle rider dead at the scene.
The motorcyclist has not been identified at this point.
It's not clear if anyone else was hurt in the crash.
The cause of the crash is not yet known, but it is under investigation.
This is the third serious crash at this intersection in a week.
On Sunday, May 24, a van carrying multiple people collided with another vehicle, killing one person and sending eight others to the hospital.
Two days later, another serious crash was reported at the intersection.
Both crashes, according to police, were blamed on drivers who ran a red light.
See previous ABC15 coverage of these incidents in the player below.
Neighbors say these incidents are part of a troubling trend as traffic grows and speeds increase along the busy stretch, which now sees about 62,000 cars per day. The Arizona Department of Transportation raised the speed limit from 45 to 55 mph last December, a change residents argue has made the area even more hazardous.
Residents have pressed city leaders to take action—only to be told to wait until ongoing construction on the Gateway Freeway is complete.
People in the nearby Eastmark neighborhood complain that traffic may be backing up as it comes from SR-24.
Patty Lesperance is among those who say drivers are just barreling through that area.
"I don’t know what can be done, but you’re taking your life in your hands when you go that way,” Lesperance said. “It’s that dangerous.”
"Everybody seems to be in a hurry. Everybody seems to be of the attitude — after me, you’ll come first. I’m sure that contributes to a lot of the accidents that go on around here,” Sherry Juric, Lesperance’s friend, said.
Mesa police plan to keep an eye on that neighborhood, with the department planning more patrols in that area.
Lt. Efren Carmona, who works in the department’s traffic division, said city leaders plan to meet about that troublesome intersection this week.
Mesa PD is also introducing a series of social media posts, meant to remind everyone to drive more safely.
“We can all do our part to increase traffic safety. Stay focused. Don’t speed, and obey all traffic laws. We all have a tendency to want to get somewhere fast. Just stay focused. Slow down,” Lt. Carmona said on Monday.
