Fatal collision closes highway Saturday

A four-vehicle collision on State Route 347 at Maricopa Road killed one and seriously injured three others yesterday. Tempe resident James Henderson, 64, died in the wreck and his wife, 62-year-old Pamela Henderson, was among those seriously injured.

The accident occurred around 5 p.m. yesterday, closing the SR 347 for most of the evening.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), James Henderson, driving a gray Hyundai Elantra, was traveling on Maricopa Road. After stopping at the stop sign at the “T” intersection at SR 347, Henderson proceeded onto the highway, apparently without seeing a small blue passenger vehicle traveling southbound, which struck Henderson’s vehicle in the left front door.

The Hyundai then spun into the northbound lanes where it was struck again by a white pick-up truck, and then a third time by another northbound gray two-door car.

There were four occupants in the blue car; one was transported to a hospital with serious injuries, and three were treated for minor injuries. Neither the white pick-up nor gray car had passengers. The driver of the white pick-up did not report any injuries, and the driver of the gray two-door vehicle was injured and transported to the hospital.

While the investigation is continuing, DPS stated that James Henderson was at fault and “there will not be any enforcement action.”