KTAR News reported that US 60 Grand Avenue near Glendale closed following a crash. According to the outlet, the eastbound lanes closed around 2:57 p.m. and the westbound lanes closed around 4:47 p.m. Both directions reopened around 7:24 p.m. No further details about the circumstances of the collision were reported.
A highway closure that lasts several hours usually means investigators are documenting the scene, and that documentation becomes the backbone of any later injury claim in Arizona. Anyone hurt in a freeway collision should request the police report as soon as it is released, then compare it against their own record of what happened; reports can contain errors, and an error about position, speed, or direction is far easier to challenge early than a year later. Arizona gives most injury plaintiffs two years from the date of injury to file suit under A.R.S. § 12-542, and claims against a city, county, or state agency require a written notice of claim within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. Fault is divided proportionally under A.R.S. § 12-2505, so being partly responsible reduces recovery but does not eliminate it. Insurers often call within days; nothing requires giving a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer.
Why a Multi-Hour Closure Changes What Evidence Exists
When a freeway stays shut for hours, it is generally because the scene is being measured, photographed, and cleared rather than simply swept aside. That produces material you will not be able to recreate later: scene diagrams, measurements, vehicle resting positions, and in some cases reconstruction work. It also means the physical evidence is gone by the time most people are discharged from a hospital.
Two things follow from that. First, request the report, and ask whether supplemental materials such as photographs or a reconstruction file exist, because those are often separate from the narrative report. Second, do not have your vehicle repaired or released for salvage before it has been photographed and inspected. The vehicle itself is evidence of impact direction and force, and insurers routinely dispose of total losses quickly.
If any commercial vehicle was involved, written preservation demands matter even more, since electronic data and driver records can be overwritten or discarded on a company's ordinary retention schedule.
The Deadlines That Actually Control Your Claim
Under A.R.S. § 12-542, most personal injury lawsuits in Arizona must be filed within two years of the date of injury. That is a filing deadline, not a deadline to notify an insurer, and missing it ordinarily ends the claim regardless of how strong the evidence is.
A much shorter clock applies when a public entity or public employee is a potential defendant. A.R.S. § 12-821.01 requires a written notice of claim served within 180 days after the cause of action accrues, with a specific sum demanded and the facts supporting it. Freeway cases sometimes raise questions about roadway design, signage, maintenance, or the conduct of a government vehicle, so the 180-day question should be evaluated early rather than assumed away.
If someone dies as a result of a collision, Arizona's wrongful death statutes, A.R.S. § 12-611 through A.R.S. § 12-613, govern who may bring the action and what may be recovered, and A.R.S. § 14-3110 governs claims that survive on behalf of the person who died.
Practical Steps in the First Weeks
Get evaluated, even if you walked away. Symptoms from head injuries, internal injuries, and spinal injuries frequently surface over the following days, and a gap between the collision and the first medical visit is the argument insurers use most often to discount a claim.
Keep a plain record: what hurts, what you cannot do, what work you missed, what you paid out of pocket. Save every bill and every explanation of benefits. Photograph visible injuries as they change.
Report the collision to your own insurer as your policy requires, but understand the difference between that and giving the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. You are not obligated to provide one, and early statements made before you know the full extent of your injuries tend to be used against you later. Decline politely and get advice first.
Finally, check your own coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorist benefits and medical payments coverage. On high-speed roadways, damages often exceed the at-fault driver's liability limits, and your own policy may be the difference between partial and full recovery.
If you or a family member was hurt in this collision, our Glendale car accident attorneys can explain what deadlines apply to your situation.