TORTILLA FLAT, AZ (AZFamily) — Historic highway state Route 88, also known as the Apache Trail, is quickly gaining a different kind of reputation.

“Morning, noon, and night, people have accidents because they underestimate the danger of this road and at the same time overestimate their driving ability and it’s very dangerous,” said Paul Robinson, who works in Tortilla Flat along SR 88.

He said tragic crashes on the historic road are becoming more common. “I’ve seen people when I wake up in the morning to open up the place, I’ve seen kids limping down the road trying to find some help,” said Robinson. “Most of the time, it’s young kids who have their whole life ahead of them.”

On Thursday, crews worked to get a motorcyclist back up to the street after crashing and going down a steep hill. The biker appeared to be OK. The night before, three people were rescued and flown to the hospital after their car went off the cliff. The rescue took nearly four hours and ADOT had to close a section of SR 88.

Last month, two more people had to be rescued after they drove off the road. Both of them were rushed to the hospital.

While the Department of Public Safety patrols the highway, the Arizona Department of Transportation maintains it.

ADOT says the keys to staying safe on the historic, winding SR 88 are obeying the speed limit, staying alert and not driving impaired.

Speed limits range from 25 and 40 mph but lower advisory speed limits are often between 15 and 25 mph.

“SR 88’s designation as an (sic) historic roadway limits changes allowed along the highway. It also travels through the Tonto National Forest, which means there are federal environmental limits,” ADOT said in a statement.

Robinson offered advice for those who choose to travel the scenic route. “My message would be to enjoy the scenery. Take things slower, it’s more fun, you know, enjoying the beautiful view, enjoying music and being more mellow as opposed to risking your life and getting that adrenaline going because it’s just not worth it,” he said.

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PHOENIX – A man caught with over 15 pounds of methamphetamine and an AR-15 rifle during a traffic stop in Phoenix was sentenced to five years in prison last week, authorities announced Thursday.

Luis Fernando Gaxiola-Simons previously pleaded guilty to one count each of transportation of a dangerous drug for sale and misconduct involving weapons.

A Maricopa County judge issued the sentence, which included a total fine and surcharge of $5,370, on Sept. 29, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

What led to man being sentenced on drug and weapon charges?

Gaxiola-Simons was arrested on May 23 by officers who initially pulled him over for a traffic violation. At the time, the AR-15 was in plain view between the passenger seat and center console, according to prosecutors.

Furthermore, Gaxiola-Simons was in possession of three loaded cartridges for the semi-automatic weapon, which had been defaced, prosecutors said.

A search of the vehicle uncovered 15.54 pounds of meth in 15 burrito-shaped packages.

“In addition to fentanyl and carfentanil, we’re stopping an increasing number of transnational drug traffickers transporting methamphetamine and cocaine through Arizona,” state Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release.

“My criminal division remains laser-focused on prosecuting individuals responsible for the scourge of drugs coming over our southern border. If you are trafficking drugs through Arizona, you will be found and you will be held accountable.”

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TEMPE — Sam Leavitt has run the ball more to begin this season than any other four-game stretch of the Arizona State quarterback’s career.

Leavitt’s 15 rushes against Baylor set a new career high after his 12 carries against Texas State were among his previous career highs (also 13 in the Peach Bowl).

“I don’t think it was really part of the game plan. It was kind of just what happened,” Leavitt said Tuesday of the new career high. “More so taking what the defense gives me. Try not to do that throughout the rest of the season as much, keep my body a little healthier. But yeah I’m just trying to win the game at the end of the day.”

Leavitt missed one game last season due to a cracked rib sustained while fighting for extra yards against Utah. Arizona State saw firsthand how valuable he is to the offense when it rolled quarterback Jeff Sims out at Cincinnati, one of two Big 12 losses the team had.

“(Leavitt) ran more (at Baylor) than we like to usually run quarterbacks, but he did because it was needed in the game,” ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said.

While the usage is higher than any other stretch in his career (10.5 rushes per game), he’s also picked his spots well. Of his 42 rushes, 14 have been for first downs, and six of those have come on third or fourth down.

He’s also had nine explosive runs, defined by ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward as pickups of at least 12 yards, including a 52-yard scramble against NAU.

His 220 scramble yards — distinguished from designed run plays, according to PFF — are the most in the country and 63 more than the next-best Power Four quarterback (Auburn’s Jackson Arnold).

TCU coach Sonny Dykes told reporters the Horned Frogs should prepare better for Leavitt’s scrambling after facing athletic SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings, but the numbers indicate a different story.

Jennings has nearly as many scrambles (13) as Leavitt (16), but his production is far below at 6.5 yards per scramble compared to Leavitt’s 13.8. Stripping away the outlying 52-yarder, Leavitt would still average 11.2 yards per scramble. Leavitt also has doubled up Jennings’ yards on designed runs (59 to 28).

“The SMU quarterback was more of a ‘run around to throw.’ This quarterback is more of a runner. He wants to run, and he’s very effective. He’s very fast, he’s very elusive and he does a good job getting down before you tackle him,” Dykes said.

Sam Leavitt in better rhythm passing when running the ball

Four of Leavitt’s six touchdown passes on the year have come after he carried the ball within the previous four plays, his level of engagement higher when feeling the hits.

“Early on, I like to kind of get the juices out, you know, butterflies out by running it a little bit, but later in the game I’m kind of settled in already,” Leavitt said.

After ASU lost to Mississippi State, Dillingham emphasized the importance of Leavitt feeling a rhythm early in games, with the QB run game as a way to get “feisty” signal callers feeling it.

Leavitt rushed the ball twice before he attempted a pass against Baylor and once before his first pass against Texas State. He then had two carries in the final 14 minutes of the Baylor win and three carries in the second half against Texas State.

Catch ASU-TCU on Friday at 6 p.m. MST on the Arizona Sports app, ESPN 620 AM or 98.7 FM HD-2. It will be televised on FOX.