Yuma man killed in Wellton crash after stop sign violation
A stop sign violation at E. County 10th Street and S. Avenue 22E killed 56-year-old Jasen Michael Jones of Yuma and sent the semi driver to the hospital.
A stop sign violation at E. County 10th Street and S. Avenue 22E in Wellton killed 56-year-old Jasen Michael Jones of Yuma and sent a semi-truck driver to Onvida Health with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Yuma County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened Thursday around 7:10 a.m. when a semi-truck traveling southbound on Avenue 22E collided with a GMC Sierra 1500 traveling westbound on County 10th Street. Deputies said the GMC approached the intersection and failed to stop at the stop sign before the impact.
Emergency crews from Wellton Police, Wellton Fire, Tri-Valley and Rural Metro responded to the scene. Jones died there, and investigators later identified him as the driver of the GMC.
The collision is hitting a small town that has little margin for error on its roads. Wellton had a 2020 Census population of 2,375 and covers 28.9 square miles, which means a serious wreck can ripple quickly through a close-knit community where many residents know the roads, the intersection and the people involved.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation is still open and asked anyone with information to contact the department, 78-CRIME or the anonymous tip portal. The Yuma Police Department’s 78-CRIME program allows callers to stay anonymous, and tips that lead to an arrest can qualify for rewards of up to $1,000.
The fatal crash also lands in a broader local pattern. Public crash compilations show Wellton has had other fatal crashes over time, including incidents in 2020 and a fatal wreck on Interstate 8 in 2022. Arizona Department of Transportation also keeps annual crash-facts reports and traffic-safety data compiled from law-enforcement crash reports statewide, giving county officials and drivers a larger record to measure how often rural roads turn unforgiving when one driver misses a stop sign.
For Yuma County residents who travel between Wellton and the city or use County 10th Street routinely, the scene is a stark reminder of how quickly a routine morning crossing can become fatal when right-of-way is ignored.
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