Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Avoiding Cops, Motorist Sideswipes Car, Hits Rail, Dies

When deputies attempted a traffic stop at River Road, a motorist fled, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a guard rail and ending up dead.

UPDATE: The Pima County Sheriff's Department has identified the dead man as Brian Hieb, 52.

TUCSON, AZ – A Tucson area motorist is dead after fleeing from Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies Tuesday when they tried to initiate a traffic stop around 9:45 p.m. at River Road and La Canada Drive.

Instead of stopping when deputies attempted to pull the driver over, the motorist put pedal to the metal, heading north on La Canada Drive. The suspect then sideswiped another vehicle at Emerine Drive and La Canada Drive. Immediately following that collision, the suspect’s vehicle crashed into a guard rail on the road’s east side.

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The suspect, who was pronounced dead at the crash site, was alone in the vehicle.

An investigation by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit is still underway. Authorities are asking who has information on this incident to call 911. Or tipsters can remain anonymous and possibly earn a reward if they submit a tip online at 88CRIME.org or call 88-CRIME.

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