Tucson, Arizona. – A tragic crash on Interstate 19 near Pima Mine Road claimed the lives of a father and son from Tucson on Wednesday, according to authorities. The Arizona Department of Public Safety confirmed the victims as 56-year-old Manuel Encinas and his 35-year-old son, Juan Encinas.
Officials reported that the younger Encinas had been driving a pickup truck northbound on I-19 around noon when a tire suddenly blew out. The blowout caused him to lose control of the vehicle, which veered left into the median. Once in the median, the truck rolled multiple times before crossing toward the southbound side of the interstate. The vehicle ultimately landed upside down on top of a Kia SUV traveling in the opposite direction.
Both Manuel and Juan Encinas were ejected from the pickup during the violent rollover and died as a result of their injuries. Neither survived the crash despite the quick response from emergency personnel.
The occupants of the Kia SUV, four people in total, were taken to Banner University Medical Center-Main Campus with minor injuries. Thankfully, officials said all four were later released after receiving medical treatment.
The scene was described as chaotic, with multiple vehicles affected. Dan Gonska, a spokesman for the Santa Rita Fire District, explained that emergency crews discovered four different vehicles had been involved in the aftermath of the wreck. “Multiple patients were attempting to exit their vehicles,” Gonska said. Given the scale and severity of the incident, southbound traffic on Interstate 19 was brought to a complete halt while first responders worked to secure the scene, treat the injured, and investigate the cause.
The collision created significant traffic backups in both directions. Roughly 45 minutes after the initial fatal crash, another two-vehicle collision occurred in the northbound lanes of I-19 near the same stretch of road. Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said both drivers involved in that secondary wreck were transported to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.
Graves added that investigators believe the second crash may have been a direct result of traffic slowing and congestion caused by the first fatal accident. With vehicles backing up and drivers attempting to maneuver through the area, the risk of additional crashes increased.
The tragic deaths of Manuel and Juan Encinas underscore the sudden dangers posed by mechanical failures such as tire blowouts. A split-second incident on a busy highway escalated into a multi-vehicle crash that disrupted traffic, injured several people, and left a family grieving the loss of two loved ones.
Authorities continue to investigate the series of crashes, examining factors such as tire condition, speed, and roadway circumstances. Interstate 19 was eventually reopened after hours of closure, but the ripple effects of the accidents left a lasting impact on those caught in the gridlock and those mourning the victims
