PHOENIX (AZFamily) — An 18-year-old is facing multiple felony charges after troopers say he caused a slew of crashes on Interstate 17 early Sunday morning while under the influence.
Booking photo for Emanual Moreno Ortiz(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
The Arizona Department of Public Safety identified the suspect as Emanual Moreno Ortiz, of Phoenix, who was booked into the Maricopa County jail on aggravated DUI, hit and run, underage DUI and criminal damage.
Troopers said the first crash happened on the northbound lanes of the freeway around 5:50 a.m. near Northern Avenue where detectives reportedly said that Ortiz was driving a gray Chrysler car and hit the median wall and nearly rolled over.
Witnesses reportedly said the car was swerving and driving on the shoulder before he exited on Greenway Road and left the scene.
About five minutes later, authorities said Ortiz sideswiped a white Hyundai SUV before running off again headed southbound on I-17 where moments later, he crashed into the left side of a black car. No one was hurt in either of those crashes.
Finally, the fourth wreck happened around 6:10 a.m. where Ortiz allegedly rear-ended the back of a black Phoenix PD pickup truck that resulted in minor injuries. It’s unclear if any officers were hurt.
Ortiz was booked into the Maricopa County jail. No other information has been released.
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