Tucson family ID'd as I-8 accident victims

A Tucson-area family was identified as the victims of a vehicle rollover Wednesday in which one person was killed and five were injured on Interstate 8 near milepost 73.

Scott Kennedy, 42, a front-seat passenger of the Ford Windstar van driven by his wife, was killed after the vehicle rolled over three times, according to Officer Huffman of the the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Mary Lou Kennedy, 38, was driving westbound in the fast lane of I-8 near the Aztec area exit when a westbound black truck with a camper on it came off the exit and crossed both lanes of the highway in front of the Kennedys' vehicle.

Taking evasive action, Mary Kennedy overcorrected and lost control of her vehicle, driving off the shoulder of the highway and rolling over three times before landing upright back on the highway, Huffman said.

The only person not wearing a seat belt was the deceased, Scott Kennedy. Others injured besides his wife were their four children: Brennan, 13, Donovan, 11, Adian, 9, and Faith, 8. Nobody was ejected from the vehicle, Huffman said.

On Wednesday, DPS reported seven people involved in the accident but one of those was discovered to be a bystander who helped with the accident victims, Huffman said.

One of the occupants, Adian, was taken by air ambulance and the others by ground ambulance to the emergency room at Yuma Regional Medical Center. All were treated for cuts and abrasions and released.

The air ambulance was intended for Scott Kennedy, but he expired at the scene. Since the two ground ambulances were full, the helicopter transported Adian, Huffman explained.

Westbound traffic was diverted to South Frontage Road for approximately three hours on Wednesday. Also assisting at the accident scene were the U.S. Border Patrol and Tri-Valley Ambulance.

There was no contact between the Kennedy vehicle and the pickup, so authorities do not consider it part of the victim scene, Huffman said. But DPS would like the pickup's driver, who may be unaware an accident had occurred, to come forward to present his account of what took place. DPS may be reached at 782-1679.

The Kennedy family had been driving to a vacation in San Diego, Huffman said.

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William Roller can be reached at
wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.