Maricopa children among killed, injured in I-10 crash

By Raquel Hendrickson

A fatal accident on Interstate 10 Sunday afternoon took the lives of three people, including two children from Maricopa.

Six others were injured.

Luis James Garcia, 15, and Mercedes Arissa Garcia, 11, both of Maricopa, were pronounced dead at the scene. Maria Almadelia Farias Cervantes, 23, of Phoenix, died after being transported to a hospital.

According to the Department of Public Safety, a tire blew out on a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV after the tread separated. The vehicle carrying nine people was eastbound near 12th street.

The driver, identified only as a 37-year-old man from Maricopa, apparently lost control of the vehicle. It crossed over the median cable barrier and rolled over, coming to rest in the westbound lanes.

Six people were ejected. The report stated Luis Garcia was struck by a westbound minivan after he was ejected from the SUV.

According to DPS, of the nine people on board, “none of them were properly restrained.”

DPS spokesman Bart Graves said the “active” status of the investigation does not allow the agency to release the name of the driver. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A 14-year-old boy from Maricopa is in critical condition with a life-threatening injury at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. A 12-year-old girl from Maricopa is also at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

A 13-year-old boy whose hometown has not been listed is being treated for a critical injury at PCH.

Minor injuries were sustained by a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old from Phoenix.