By Dan McCarthy
Mail

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has received $133,000 to boost investigations into fatal and other serious traffic collisions, including targeting people with DUI and other warrants.

MCSO announced the funding this week at the same time the Arizona Department of Transportation is shedding light on how drivers can assist those who respond to crashes on highways throughout the state.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety recently gave MCSO two grants.

The agency’s vehicular crimes unit received $82,000 to assist with the investigation of fatal and serious injury traffic collisions.

The money is to be used specifically to enhance the investigation of collisions involving impaired and/or speeding drivers, according to an MCSO release. It will pay for overtime and training.

The unit also received $51,000 to help target subjects with warrants related to DUI, aggravated DUI, endangerment, aggravated assault and vehicular homicide charges.

The two funding announcements came as ADOT is observing Crash Responder Safety Week, which calls on drivers to remember: “Safety starts with you – Slow down and move over.”

“When crashes and other traffic incidents happen, our first responders work tirelessly to keep motorists safe,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said.

“We need all drivers to stay alert, especially when driving past an incident, and move over to give first responders a safe space to work.”

ADOT’s Incident Response Unit and highway maintenance crews set up traffic control that gives law enforcement and other responders a safe place to work at incident scenes, keep the traveling public safer and reopen travel lanes as quickly as possible, according to an ADOT release.

There were 90 possible crashes involving first responders or their vehicles on Arizona roads and highways in 2024, according to crash reports submitted by law enforcement agencies and compiled by ADOT. 

“In 2024, Arizona saw more than 121,000 vehicle crashes, and each one placed emergency medical professionals in harm’s way,” Sheila Sjolander, interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said.

“Since 2017, 10 Arizona responders have been struck and killed while working roadside, and 158 others have survived serious crashes that changed their lives.”

There will be approximately 595,000 plus tow calls for service this year in Arizona, said Daniel Thiem, vice president of the Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association.

“Crash responders dedicate themselves daily to safeguarding the lives of others - often placing themselves in harm’s way to keep our roadways safe,” Jesse Torrez, director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, said.

“During Crash Responder Safety Week, we urge every driver to do their part: slow down, stay alert, and move over. Just a few seconds of caution can mean the difference between life and death for those who protect us.”

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Dan McCarthy
Web content

dmccarthy@iniusa.org

Meet Dan
Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.

Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. 

Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey. 

Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.