A busy east Valley intersection was shuttered for several hours Wednesday after a crash between two vehicles left an adult female driver dead, according to the Gilbert Police Department.
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Emergency personnel responded to the collision shortly after 10 a.m. at the intersection of Cooper and Merrill roads, just south of Baseline Road in Gilbert. The crash involved two motor vehicles, and the immediate aftermath prompted investigators and first responders to secure the scene and halt traffic while they worked.
Police reports say one of the drivers — described as an adult woman — was found unresponsive and trapped inside her vehicle when crews arrived. Fire personnel worked at the scene to remove her from the wreckage; after she was extracted, she was pronounced deceased by responders. No further identifying information about the woman was released in the preliminary account.
The driver of the second vehicle involved in the collision declined medical treatment at the scene, police said. Authorities did not report any additional injuries related to the crash in their initial statement.
Because of the severity of the wreck and the emergency response, Gilbert police closed the intersection and advised motorists to avoid the area. The closure was expected to last for several hours while crews completed their work on scene and cleared the roadway. Commuters and other drivers were urged to use alternate routes to minimize delays and keep emergency lanes clear.
At this time, it is unknown what led up to the crash. Police did not provide information on contributing factors such as speed, impairment, mechanical failure or weather, and no cause was offered in the early release of details. Officers at the scene limited public access while they processed the location and handled the extraction and traffic control.
Photographs taken at the scene show emergency lights flashing as vehicles and personnel worked following the collision. Police vehicle lights flash at the scene after a deadly crash that temporarily closed the intersection of Cooper and Merrill roads in Gilbert.
Officials emphasized that drivers should allow room for emergency responders and heed posted or directed detours while the intersection remained closed. Beyond the information released about the extraction and the status of the drivers, police offered no additional updates in the initial bulletin. Further details about the incident, including any follow-up investigative actions, were not included in the early report.
AZ Family reports the crash involved an SUV, from which firefighters extricated the unresponsive woman, and a pickup truck hauling a trailer that flipped over. The pickup driver was not injured. The intersection has since reopened following the investigation.