Michael Thomas Still Killed in Tucson Car Accident
Two-vehicle collision occurred at North Rosemont Boulevard and East Grant Road
A 57-year-old man was killed Monday evening in a collision at a midtown Tucson intersection, police said.
Michael Thomas Still was a passenger in a Mazda sedan traveling south on North Rosemont Boulevard around 6 p.m. when the vehicle collided with a Nissan Frontier heading east on East Grant Road, according to a Tucson Police Department news release.
Still was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The crash remains under investigation.
The Arizona Department of Transportation reported 1,228 traffic fatalities in 2024, down 6.12% from the prior year, its annual crash facts.
While Tucson police work to determine the circumstances of the crash, independent investigations often reveal critical details about right-of-way violations.
Cristina Perez, attorney at Perez Law Group, said, "Fatal two-vehicle crashes rarely come down to one single mistake, since speeding often combines with a distracted glance at a phone or a driver pushing through fatigue late at night."
"When a crash like that takes a life, an attorney moves to secure dash camera footage, cellphone records, and vehicle data before anything gets lost or overwritten by routine practices," added Perez, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
Why did the vehicles collide at North Rosemont Boulevard and East Grant Road?
Investigators will work to determine which driver had the right of way. Intersection crashes frequently involve disputed accounts, making physical evidence, skid marks, and potential surveillance footage vital to reconstructing the final seconds before the collision.
What are the next steps for Still's family?
As a passenger, Still bears no fault for the collision. Depending on the outcome of the police investigation, liability may fall on the driver of the Mazda, the driver of the Nissan, or a combination of both, depending on who caused the crash.
Arizona wrongful death statute
Under A.R.S. § 12-611, surviving family members of a person killed in a traffic collision may file a wrongful death action in Arizona. The state applies pure comparative fault when determining liability. The statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages under Arizona's wrongful death statute may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship and consortium, funeral and burial expenses, and the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering. Arizona law designates specific parties — typically a surviving spouse, children, or parents — as eligible to bring a wrongful death action.
"Gathering physical evidence, taking photos, and interviewing witnesses are the core elements of any basic fatal crash investigation. Officers work to build an objective timeline of how the incident unfolded," said Gabe Miller, attorney at Perez Law Group.
Miller, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News, noted, "An attorney assists the family by obtaining these official files quickly, ensuring that insurance companies base their decisions on complete, accurate information rather than hasty assumptions."