One person is dead after a fatal collision Monday, June 27 on Interstate 17. The collision happened around 10:15 a.m. on the southbound side of the freeway, at the top of Copper Canyon near milepost 281.

Two large trucks were involved. One, a rental moving truck, appeared to have been involved in a rear-end collision, suffering very heavy damage. The passenger of that vehicle was ejected and killed, according to Barbara Rice, spokeswoman and fire marshal for the Camp Verde Fire District.

The driver had to be extracted from the truck and was airlifted to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment.

The driver of the other truck was not injured.

Traffic was backed up down the mountain soon after the collision and law enforcement was diverting southbound traffic off the interstate at the General Crook Trail exit.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety was investigating the accident as of press time.