Arizona Republic photographer Nick Oza seriously injured in vehicle accident

Nick Oza, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, was seriously injured in a vehicle crash in southwest Phoenix.

Oza, 56, has been at the center of some of The Republic and azcentral.com's most important work since he joined the newspaper in 2006. He has brought life to coverage of neglected children, immigrants, protesters for social justice, migrants seeking asylum and the everyday experiences of countless Arizonans.

He was hurt about 6:47 a.m. Friday while traveling on Loop 202 near the Vee Quiva casino and resort south of Laveen. Oza remains hospitalized.

Bart Graves, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said Oza's vehicle veered across all lanes of the highway before hitting the center median wall.

"The lone driver in the vehicle was conscious but unresponsive," Graves said in an email to The Republic.

Greg Burton, The Republic's executive editor, said, “All of us at The Republic are focused on supporting Nick and his family as they navigate the days and weeks ahead.

"He has given so much to the people of Arizona — it’s there in the photos of a BLM protester in downtown Phoenix and players at football practice at Perry High School; of a junkyard worker in Wittmann and a cowboy at West World in Scottsdale.

“Few people see like Nick sees. If he’s captured you with his camera, he’s captured you with grace and dignity, with empathy and kindness. That’s especially true of his work with migrants, immigrants, refugees and neglected children. His photos give faces and names to people so many others have reduced to labels.”

Republic reporter Daniel Gonzalez developed a close friendship with Oza, an Ahwatukee Foothills resident, while working on assignments that included several trips to Mexico and Central America for immigration-related articles. Oza's work also has taken him to other countries, including India, Iraq and the African nation of Benin.

Gonzalez says Oza has a knack for getting subjects to relax and open up.

"He's a super outgoing person who loves people and being around people," Gonzalez said. "He can go into any situation and, because of his friendly personality, put people at ease. That's why he's able to get unbelievably great photographs."

Oza, a native of India who became a U.S. citizen, also has a generous side that often includes bringing over Indian food, takeout coffee or other treats.

When Gonzalez visited the Miami area to see his widowed father, he said Oza found out beforehand which restaurant the family would go to and arranged through the server to pay $100 toward the meal cost.

Gonzalez describes Oza, who is married with a daughter, as having a passion for people and for always striving to get the best photos he can.

"He likes to say, 'I'm looking for poetry,'" Gonzalez said.

Oza's journalism honors include a Rocky Mountain Emmy Award, a Best of Photojournalism award from the National Press Photographers Association and a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service as part of the Biloxi (Mississippi) Sun Herald's coverage of Hurricane Katrina, among many others. He has been named Arizona photographer of the year multiple times.

Oza also was one of the leading photojournalists in the team that created "The Wall," The Republic's special report from 2017, which won the Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. The photojournalism from that series later became a feature documentary.

A GoFundMe.com account to support Oza and his family has raised more than half of its $50,000 goal.

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.

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