Sheriff Mark Daniels reports fatal Highway 191 crash, home invasion and border training in First Watch update

Sheriff Mark Daniels said Cochise County deputies responded to a one-vehicle commercial van rollover on Highway 191 that resulted in at least three fatalities and required multiple airlifts.

“The van rolled over on Highway 191 last night, and they did have at least three fatalities,” Daniels said, praising CECOM and responding agencies for coordinating the scene and noting that four helicopters were inbound. He said the road reopened about 4:30 a.m.

The sheriff also described a separate violent home invasion this week in which an adult broke into a house where a teenage girl with special-care needs was alone. “We found him in the desert hiding from us and took him into custody,” Daniels said, adding that the suspect is 21 and is in jail awaiting charges.

Daniels urged residents not to read too much into military activity in the county. He said Marines operating near Fort Huachuca are part of the Southwest Border Initiative and are conducting training. “They’re down here engaging in this initiative but also training,” he said.

The sheriff used the program to remind drivers about lane discipline and vehicle safety after recounting traffic stops in Benson. He warned that deputies are issuing tickets to improve safety and urged motorists to confirm that their headlights and taillights are working on newer vehicles.

Daniels also thanked community partners for recent fundraising: he said the Cars for Kids presentation to the Boys & Girls Club set a record, raising more than $90,000.

The sheriff closed by thanking first responders and dispatch staff who worked the crash and by encouraging residents to contact the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office for nonemergency needs via the office’s website or phone line.

The sheriff’s remarks were delivered on the First Watch radio program hosted by county public information officers.