Mesa, Arizona: Two Women, Both 18, Killed Crossing Center Street in the Rain Near McKellips Road
Two women, both 18, were killed crossing North Center Street near McKellips Road in Mesa at about 12:57 a.m. on Sunday, in dark and rainy conditions. Police say a second car, and a reported third car, may also have struck one of them, and they are looking for a dark colored sedan.
Key points
- Mesa police are investigating a crash that killed two women, both 18, as they crossed North Center Street near McKellips Road in the first hour of Sunday.
- The preliminary investigation found that the two women were crossing North Center Street when a vehicle traveling southbound on Center Street struck them.
- One of the women was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mesa police are investigating a crash that killed two women, both 18, as they crossed North Center Street near McKellips Road in the first hour of Sunday. Officers responded at about 12:57 a.m. on November 1 to a crash involving two pedestrians, the Mesa Police Department said in a statement released on Monday, November 2 and reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The preliminary investigation found that the two women were crossing North Center Street when a vehicle traveling southbound on Center Street struck them. The collision happened in dark, rainy conditions that limited visibility, police said. A second vehicle, and a reported third vehicle, also came upon the scene and may have struck one of the pedestrians, according to the statement.
One of the women was pronounced dead at the scene. The other was taken to an area hospital, where she died later. Police did not identify either woman.
Police look for a possible third car
The drivers police have identified remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, the department said. Police said there is no indication that speed or impairment played a role in the collision. Investigators are working to identify a possible third car that may have been involved, and they described it as a dark colored sedan.
Police asked anyone who was in the area at the time to contact the Mesa Police Department at 480-644-2211. The investigation is ongoing, and police have not announced any charges or citations.
Center Street runs north and south through the middle of Mesa, and McKellips Road is one of the main east and west routes across the north side of the city. The crossing sits in a built up part of north Mesa.
A rainy Halloween weekend on Mesa roads
The crash happened on a wet night, as a Pacific storm system soaked Arizona over the Halloween weekend and pushed rivers and washes across the state into flood. Rain fell across the Phoenix area on Saturday night and into Sunday, and the same system forced evacuations and rescues in other parts of Arizona on Sunday.
It was also the second serious pedestrian crash in Mesa in one weekend. On Halloween night, October 31, a car hit three juveniles, who police believe may have been riding bikes, near Crismon and Ray roads in east Mesa. All three were taken to a trauma center with serious injuries, and police said they did not suspect impairment in that collision either. Police have not linked the two crashes, which happened at opposite ends of the city about six hours apart.
Timeline
- Nov 1, 2026At about 12:57 a.m., two women, both 18, are struck while crossing North Center Street near McKellips Road in Mesa. One dies at the scene and the other dies later at a hospital.
- Nov 2, 2026The Mesa Police Department releases its statement on the crash, says there is no indication of speed or impairment, and asks the public for help identifying a possible third car, described as a dark colored sedan.