The morning of Sunday, November 9 2025 began quietly for many in north Phoenix — until around 10:30 a.m., when the calm was broken in an instant at the intersection of 19th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard. According to the Phoenix Police Department, two vehicles collided with devastating force.
One of the drivers, 78-year-old Ronald Johnson, died shortly after being transported from the scene. The other driver was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Responding officers found both vehicles with extensive front-end damage and both drivers trapped in their vehicles, prompting crews from the Phoenix Fire Department to carry out a rapid extrication effort. Johnson was rushed to a nearby hospital, but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. His name and age were later confirmed by police.
Investigators say there were no immediate signs of impairment on the part of either driver, though the probe is very much ongoing. Detectives are looking into vehicle speed, traffic-signal timing, right-of-way compliance, and other contributing factors.
For decades Ronald Johnson had been a familiar face in his community — neighbors describe him as warm, generous, always ready to lend a hand. His passing has thrown his neighbourhood into mourning. “He always said hello, had time to stop and chat,” one neighbour shared on condition of anonymity. His loss, many say, leaves a quiet but deep hole.
The Phoenix Police Department’s Traffic Investigations Bureau is urging anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash-cam footage of the intersection around the time of the collision to come forward. With the case still open, authorities hope that the gathering of evidence will bring clarity and perhaps help prevent similar tragedies.
In the wake of this incident, loved ones of Mr. Johnson are left remembering not the crash or the emergency crews, but the quiet strength of a man who cared — and whose life was suddenly cut short in what began as an ordinary Sunday drive.
