A beloved Tempe High School teacher died in a wrong-way crash on Loop 202 in Mesa late Saturday that also left others injured.
The crash occurred around 11 p.m. near Power Road when a vehicle traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes collided head-on with a passenger car, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The driver of the passenger vehicle, identified as 50-year-old Nasser Chidiac, a Mesa resident and Tempe High School teacher, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The wrong-way driver, a 23-year-old man from San Tan, suffered life-threatening injuries and remains hospitalized. Authorities did not release his name and are investigating whether impairment played a role in the collision.
A passenger in Chidiac’s vehicle was also rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Their current condition was not disclosed.
Chidiac was a math teacher at Tempe High School, where he was in his third year. School administrators shared the heartbreaking news with students and parents in a letter Sunday, mourning the loss of a valued educator known for his professionalism and humility.
“It’s with a heavy heart and deep sadness we share with you that Nasser Chidiac, beloved math teacher, was tragically killed in a car accident Saturday night,” the letter stated. The school’s crisis management team was available to support students and staff.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ‘Beloved’ Tempe High School math teacher killed in wrong-way crash