3 people die in Arizona after being caught in floodwaters

PAYSON, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities say at least three people were found dead this week after their vehicles were swept away by floodwaters in Arizona. Gila County Sheriff’s officials say the bodies of a couple missing after their vehicle was stuck in floodwaters in the Payson area were located Thursday (March 23, 2023). They were identified as Phon Sutton, 85, and Dara Sutton, 72, both of Payson, Arizona. Separately, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office says the body of a 64-year-old woman was recovered after the vehicle she was traveling in with her husband was swept downstream at a river crossing. Flooding caused by recent rainfall and snowmelt has created issues across parts of central and northern Arizona with residents in several low-lying communities told to evacuate.