Arizona troopers were investigating a DUI case along northbound Interstate 17 near Northern Avenue early Sunday morning when two nearby crashes occurred, killing one and sending two people to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

At about 1 a.m. July 7, Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers were checking on a driver who may have been driving under the influence. While working to clear the vehicle off the road and investigate the DUI, a backup occurred on the freeway and a collision occurred between two vehicles, resulting in no injuries, according to a DPS release.

As troopers worked to remove those vehicles off the road another vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed collided with the vehicles, killing one of the drivers.

The driver who crashed into the vehicles suffered life-threatening injuries and is being evaluated for possible impairment, officials said.

The juvenile driver of the third vehicle also suffered life-threatening injuries, DPS officials stated in the release.

DPS detectives are working with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to determine what criminal charges may be appropriate, according to the release.

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