Two separate vehicle collisions in Safford on Saturday were possibly due to impaired drivers, according to reports from the Safford Police Department.

Safford officers first responded to a report of a black Jeep Cherokee driving on the wrong side of the road while eastbound on Highway 70 at about 6:22 p.m.

Officer Brian Avila located the vehicle and noticed it was weaving from lane to lane. Avila activated his overhead emergency lights, but the Jeep did not pull over. Avila then activated his emergency siren, but the Jeep still would not yield.

This crash on First Avenue and Relation Street was possibly due to the driver of the white car being under the influence of alcohol. Contributed photo

As the Jeep approached the intersection of Highway 70 and 10th Avenue, the subject, later identified as Lonny Edward Morgan, 49, of Safford, slammed on his brakes and attempted to turn southbound onto 10th Avenue. Avila reported Morgan missed the turn, jumped the curb and traveled through the parking spaces on the west side of the General Services Building. The vehicle then continued southbound on 10th Avenue, heading toward people who were in Firth Park and the Safford Swimming Pool.

Avila maneuvered his patrol vehicle in front of the Jeep in an effort to slow the vehicle down, and it crashed into him, according to his report.

Several officers approached the vehicle with their duty weapons drawn and ordered Morgan out. The subject appeared to not understand what was going on and had to be forcibly extracted from the vehicle.

During a subsequent interview with officer Sherri O'Neal, Morgan said he thought he was in Clifton and that he was going out for ice cream. O'Neal noted she could not smell any intoxicating beverage on Morgan, but his shirt was on backward and inside out; the zipper to his pants was down, and he wasn't wearing shoes.

Morgan allegedly told O'Neal he could not remember what prescription pills he had taken and kept changing the names and doses. He was arrested for DUI-drug and released to the care of his neighbor.

Morgan called police the following day because he didn't know where his vehicle was. Officer O'Neal explained what had transpired and told him his car was towed from the scene by Nuttall's Towing.

Another Saturday collision had more dire consequences as a passenger had to be flown to the University Medical Center in Tucson.

Safford officers responded to a collision at First Avenue and Relation Street at about 10:44 p.m.

According to Police Chief John Griffin, a white Buick driven by Bianca Dorame, 26, of Safford attempted to make a left turn onto Relation Street and was struck by a red 2006 Chevy pickup truck driven by Adam Michael Nabor, 20.

Griffin said Dorame apparently turned in front of the pickup and was possibly under the influence of an intoxicating beverage. Multiple charges against Dorame are pending the police's continuing investigation and result of a blood-alcohol content test. A copy of the police report was sent to the Graham County Attorney's Office for review.

Dorame and her front-seat passenger, David Holguin, 34, of Safford were not wearing seat belts, according to Griffin. Holguin was transported to the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center by Southwest Ambulance and was then flown to UMC for severe facial trauma. He was expected to be released from the hospital Monday.

Dorame's 4-year-old son, Hezakiah Turner, was in a child safety restraint system in the back seat and suffered a bloody nose. His grandmother arrived on the scene and took him to the hospital, where he was treated and released.

Nabor was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for an injury to his knee and released.

Griffin said Dorame was "acting very excited" and was placed into the back seat of officer Herschel Medlin's patrol vehicle as officers were controlling the situation. While in custody, she kicked out the back window and exited the vehicle, according to Griffin.

Dorame was brought back into custody and was taken to the MGRMC for evaluation, where she was treated and released.