Beer bottles found in driver’s truck after wrong-way crash on I-10 in Tolleson

TOLLESON, AZ (AZFamily) —Authorities have arrested a man accused in a wrong-way crash on a West Valley freeway that left multiple people hurt on Sunday morning.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety says 21-year-old Rafael Antonio Sapien III faces multiple charges after driving under the influence and causing a wrong-way crash that left four people injured.

Officials say Sapien was driving a maroon Chevy pickup truck around 7:45 a.m. when he went the wrong way on I-10 near 91st Avenue and collided head-on with a gray Dodge SUV, injuring four people inside.

Court documents say that a Tolleson Police officer and DPS trooper saw multiple beer cans in the cab of the truck. Authorities could also smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from the truck.

A Tolleson PD officer reportedly spoke with Sapien before he was taken to the hospital, and he admitted to having multiple weapons with him.

One witness reportedly saw Sapien driving the wrong way and multiple cars swerving to avoid him on the road. Court papers say Saipen was seen getting out of his car after the crash and walking to the emergency shoulder and sitting down.

According to court documents, a DPS Trooper went to the hospital where Saipen was taken to be treated for injuries to conduct a further DUI investigation. A warrant was served to take a blood sample to test for DUI. Authorities did not reveal what Saipen’s BAC levels were.

Sapien was arrested around 12 p.m. on Sunday after being treated for his injuries at the hospital.

He was booked into the Maricopa County jail on four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated DUI.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.