Three-vehicle crash on Airport Loop leaves two critically injured

A morning commute on E. Airport Loop turned violent when a 1998 Toyota Tacoma crossed the centerline and slammed head-on into a 2021 Toyota Corolla south of Yuma International Airport, leaving two drivers critically injured and forcing a major response in one of Yuma’s busiest traffic corridors.

The crash was reported at about 7:55 a.m. Wednesday, April 22, on Airport Loop between Avenue A and W. County 14th Street. The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office said the Tacoma was traveling southbound when, for reasons still unknown, it entered oncoming traffic and struck the northbound Corolla head-on. A 2020 Ford Explorer traveling behind the Corolla avoided the collision by steering onto the gravel shoulder, though the SUV still sustained damage.

Rural Metro responders transported the Tacoma driver and the Corolla driver to Onvida Health with critical injuries. Both were later flown to a Phoenix-area hospital for further treatment. The driver and passengers in the Ford Explorer reported no injuries.

The sheriff’s office said impairment has not been ruled out, and the crash remains under investigation. The incident was logged as DR# 2026-25772. The agency issued its public release at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, and said anyone with information should contact the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office at 928-783-4427 or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

For drivers who use Airport Loop to reach Avenue A, County 14th Street, and the Yuma International Airport area, the wreck is a reminder of how quickly a routine stretch of road can become a scene of life-threatening injury. The timing, just after 7:55 a.m., put the collision squarely in the morning traffic window when commuters, airport travelers, and nearby businesses depend on that corridor moving safely and steadily.