PHOENIX, AZ : Driver killed in crash involving Phoenix PD vehicle officer and prisoner hospitalized on Thursday, 21st December 2023

Police say a woman has died after a fiery crash involving a Phoenix police vehicle on Thursday morning.

According to Phoenix Police Sgt. Rob Scherer, an officer was transporting a prisoner to the Cactus Park Precinct. The officer and another vehicle then collided with each other as the officer was attempting to turn left near 35th Avenue and Thunderbird Road. After the initial crash, Sgt. Scherer says the other driver, 19-year-old Ashley Vailes, lost control and crashed into a light pole and traffic box. The vehicle then caught on fire, and Vailes died at the scene.

The officer and prisoner were hospitalized with minor injuries but are expected to be okay. Police say witnesses and video surveillance footage have led investigators to determine that the car driven by Vailes ran a red light just prior to the collision. Video from the scene appeared to show front-end damage on the patrol vehicle, while the other car appeared to have caught on fire and was also hit head-on. Investigators are still working to determine what led up to the crash.

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