Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald
By Jon Johnson
THATCHER – An unsafe lane change lead to a collision on U.S. Highway 70 in Thatcher on Friday and to both drivers receiving citations. There were no injuries listed.
Authorities were initially dispatched at about 2:51 p.m. to the area of the 2300 block of U.S. Highway 70 regarding a two-vehicle collision.
According to a Thatcher Police report, a silver, 2002 Ford F-150 pickup truck was eastbound in the left lane of U.S. Highway 70 when an eastbound gray 2019 Toyota Corolla switched lanes from right to left.
The Ford – driven by Luis Otero, 52, of Pima, then entered the center turn lane to pass the Toyota and, upon returning to the left eastbound lane, clipped the Toyota and ripped off its bumper. The truck sported only a small dent to the passenger side of its rear bumper from the ordeal.
The driver of the Toyota, Megan Brianna Milford, 30, of Window Rock, Arizona, provided a similar account as Otero. However, Milford was driving without insurance and had a suspended driver’s license. She was given citations for both those infractions. Neither she nor her four passengers listed any injuries.
Otero was given two citations for being the cause of the collision – unlawful use of a turn lane and unsafe lane change.
