A deadly crash on Interstate 10 in west Phoenix Sunday left one man dead, a woman seriously injured and a Tempe driver in custody on suspicion of driving under the influence. The collision, which closed part of the freeway for hours, occurred just before noon when troopers say a Kia sedan being driven at a high rate of speed changed lanes and struck a Toyota Highlander.
Aerial ADOT image of emergency crews working at the crash scene on I‑10 east of 43rd Avenue; inset shows a booking photo released of the woman arrested on suspicion of DUI in the crash.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said Monday that the Kia, driven by 23‑year‑old Andie Stehley of Tempe, was traveling at a high rate of speed along the interstate when the driver made a lane change and struck the Toyota. The force of that impact pushed the Toyota into a Scion SUV and sent it spinning across the roadway, ultimately striking an exit sign pole.
Traffic camera video and on-scene images showed first responders working to free the driver of the Toyota after the multi-vehicle collision. Firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools commonly known as the Jaws of Life to open the vehicle and extricate the driver, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials identified the person killed as Michael Byington of Wisconsin. A passenger in the Toyota was taken from the wreckage with serious injuries, authorities said. The driver of the Scion was reported uninjured.
Stehley was taken into custody in the hours following the crash and was booked into the Maricopa County Jail early Monday. She faces multiple charges tied to the collision, including second-degree homicide, endangerment and criminal damage. Troopers have said she is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash.
The sequence of events as outlined by investigators indicates the initial contact between the Kia and the Toyota set off the series of impacts that resulted in the fatality. The Toyota’s collision with the Scion and subsequent strike against an exit sign pole created the most severe damage and left the Toyota’s driver trapped long enough for rescuers to be required to employ specialized extrication equipment.
Emergency personnel and state troopers closed lanes on I‑10 for several hours Sunday afternoon while they responded to the crash, conducted the extrication, cleared the scene and investigated. The closure affected travel through a busy stretch of the interstate during midday hours as investigators photographed the scene, collected evidence and worked to piece together the moments that led to the collision.
Authorities continue to investigate the crash; no additional allegations beyond those charged were announced. The arrest and the charges filed against Stehley were part of the immediate response by troopers after the scene was secured and the injured were transported to hospitals. The identity of the injured passenger and their current condition beyond being described as "serious" have not been further detailed by investigators.
The collision occurred just before noon on Sunday, July 5, 2026; Stehley was arrested that same day (July 5) and was booked into the Maricopa County Jail in the early hours of Monday, July 6, 2026.