In 2022, more deaths occurred on State Route 347, south of Interstate 10 to Maricopa.

The first, on January 27th of last year, was Maricopa’s Buford De Rotor, who died in a highway crash on Casablanca Road.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said Drotter’s car crossed the median on Route 347 heading south and collided with a four-passenger vehicle heading north. Derota’s car burst into flames and he was fatally injured. No other vehicle occupants suffered life-threatening injuries.

The next fatality occurred in February, when Vanity Chavez, a recent Maricopa High School graduate, died in a car accident. Christian Galindo, another driver of Maricopa’s car, was arrested and charged with multiple charges, including DUI, extreme DUI, aggravated DUI and driving with a suspended license, police said.

“The Nissan Sentra was seen driving at high speed, but it’s unclear how many times it turned,” DPS spokesman Bert Graves reported. “There were signs of obstruction at the scene. One female passenger was disembarked and was later pronounced dead at Chandler Hospital.”

In November, a Maricopa man was killed when two vehicles collided on State Route 347 and Riggs Road.

Anthony Valenzuela, 25, was pronounced dead at the scene after his motorcycle collided with a Jeep Wrangler at an intersection, according to the DPS. Valenzuela was heading south on the SR 347 when he hit the SUV as he turned left onto Riggs Road from the northbound lane of the SR 347.

The jeep driver was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.