Prescott Woman Dies in Cliffside Crash: Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Investigation Underway

A tragic incident occurred on Friday night near Prescott, claiming the life of a woman after her vehicle reportedly drove off a cliffside, as per Yavapai County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) authorities.

Discovery of the incident

At around 5 p.m., YCSO deputies responded to the Thumb Butte Recreation Area, located approximately two miles from Copper Basin Road. There, they made the grim discovery of a vehicle approximately 1,000 feet down the mountainside in the Prescott National Forest. The occupant of the vehicle was later identified as 39-year-old Kristin Little from Prescott, who was found deceased along the cliffside, as reported by YCSO.

Kristin Little, a Prescott resident, was the sole occupant of the vehicle involved in the incident. She is believed to have been ejected from the vehicle about halfway down the mountainside, where her vehicle ultimately landed. An initial investigation into the crash indicated that Little was likely driving north on Thumb Butte Loop Road when she veered to the left and careened down the mountainside, according to YCSO.

In a bid to ascertain whether there were any other occupants, authorities deployed a drone and helicopter to search the area. However, no additional individuals were located. The steep terrain posed significant challenges for the crews, preventing them from navigating the area as darkness fell. Consequently, the retrieval of Little's body had to be postponed until the following morning, as per YCSO's report.

Investigation and ongoing inquiries

The tragic crash, along with the untimely death of Kristin Little, remains the subject of an ongoing investigation, as confirmed by YCSO. The circumstances surrounding the incident are being thoroughly examined by authorities to determine the exact sequence of events that led to this unfortunate occurrence.

This heart-wrenching incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers associated with driving in challenging terrains. The loss of Kristin Little has undoubtedly sent shockwaves through the Prescott community, and the ongoing investigation seeks to shed light on the factors that contributed to this devastating crash.