Jose Guillermo Castellanos,Efrain Gutierez Obituary, Death; – Two individuals have lost their lives following a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 10, located south of Phoenix, as reported by the Arizona Department of Public Safety on Wednesday.
The incident occurred shortly after noon on October 16 at milepost 169, approximately two miles south of Riggs Road. According to DPS, traffic was moving at a slow pace in the westbound lanes when a box truck failed to decelerate, colliding with a pickup truck and three additional vehicles.
The impact caused both the box truck and the pickup truck to veer into the median, resulting in both vehicles igniting. The drivers of both vehicles were declared dead at the scene.
The driver of the box truck has been identified as 53-year-old Jose Guillermo Castellanos Gonzalez, while the pickup truck driver has been identified as 62-year-old Efrain Gutierez. Two other drivers sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. I-10 was temporarily closed in both directions between Riggs and Casa Blanca Roads, but the roadway has since been reopened.
“The fire was extremely intense,” stated Arizona DPS spokesperson Bart Graves. “The cause of this incident appears to be excessive speed under the prevailing conditions and a lack of attention to the slow-moving traffic and changing circumstances on the road. At this time, we are unable to determine the gender of the deceased individuals. The intensity of the fire necessitates reliance on the medical examiner for identification.”
Graves noted that distracted driving is a frequent contributor to accidents. “We experienced a fatal incident over the weekend on I-8 where the driver at fault was using his phone and collided with a motorcycle, resulting in a fatality. Such occurrences are common throughout the state. While we cannot confirm that distraction was a factor in this case, it is evident that speed and attention were significant contributors,” Graves remarked.
DPS responds to numerous accidents on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson annually, but efforts to enhance safety on this segment of the highway are forthcoming. “I am aware that plans are in place to add an additional lane, although that project is a couple of years away,” Graves added.
The I-10 Gila River Indian Community project aims to introduce an extra lane in both directions along the 26-mile stretch, with construction scheduled to commence in mid-2026 and conclude in 2028.
