SHOW LOW, Ariz. — Authorities and communities across Arizona are grieving after two firefighters and another motorist were killed in a devastating crash late Sunday night. The collision occurred around 10:15 p.m. on State Route 260, between Heber-Overgaard and Show Low, when an ambulance from the Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District was struck head-on by a passenger vehicle.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), a westbound car crossed over the center line into the eastbound lane, colliding directly with the ambulance. Officials described the crash as catastrophic, with Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District Chief Randy Chevalier calling the scene “horrific.” Both vehicles sustained extreme damage, and emergency responders quickly confirmed multiple fatalities.
Inside the ambulance were two Timber Mesa firefighters returning to their base in Show Low after transporting a patient to a Phoenix-area hospital. Neither firefighter survived the impact, nor did the driver of the other vehicle. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, leaving colleagues and loved ones devastated by the sudden loss.
The fallen firefighters were later identified as 31-year-old Brenna Kulikowski and 21-year-old Damon Thompson. Kulikowski had served three years with Timber Mesa, earning respect for her skill as a paramedic and her dedication to the community. Chief Chevalier described her as “top-notch” and deeply compassionate. Thompson, the youngest member of the crew, was approaching his first anniversary with the department. His family said firefighting had been his lifelong dream, and Chief Chevalier praised him as already proving himself “a dang good firefighter.”
The deaths of Kulikowski and Thompson have shaken the tight-knit Timber Mesa department and the surrounding White Mountain region. The White Mountain Firefighters Association has launched a fundraiser to support their families, and a separate GoFundMe has been created for Thompson’s loved ones. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs also issued a statement, saying she was “heartbroken” and calling the two firefighters heroes who dedicated their lives to protecting others.
The identity of the passenger vehicle’s driver has not yet been released as officials work to notify family. DPS confirmed the investigation remains ongoing, with authorities seeking to determine why the vehicle crossed the center line. For Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District, the tragedy represents an immeasurable loss of two promising firefighters whose service left a lasting mark on the community they served.