The snowplow driver who misplaced management final week on Interstate 70 and swerved into oncoming visitors has been positioned on administrative go away amid the deadly crash investigation, state officers mentioned.
State patrol officers hope to finish the crash investigation inside 4 weeks, however “many factors play into that timeframe,” Colorado State Patrol spokesperson Ivan Alvarado mentioned Monday.
The driver of a van carrying a youth hockey crew headed to Denver for the Western Girls Hockey League weekend died within the Thursday morning crash on I-70 close to Herman Gulch, and eight folks within the van have been injured, in keeping with state patrol officers.
The Clear Creek County Coroner’s Office recognized the driving force killed within the crash as 38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas from Chatsworth, California. His reason for loss of life remained underneath investigation on Monday, Chief Deputy Coroner Nichol Nelson mentioned.
Lorenzana Villegas was the daddy of one of many gamers on the youth hockey crew, the Santa Clarita Lady Flyers, in keeping with reporting from Denver7.
A snowplow on westbound I-70 misplaced management within the snow shortly earlier than 9 a.m. Thursday, crashing via the median and hitting a Toyota Tacoma within the eastbound lanes, state patrol officers mentioned. The affect despatched the Tacoma again throughout the median, the place it hit a westbound BMW.
State investigators mentioned the snow plow then hit the Ford Transit van carrying the ladies’ hockey crew from California, sending the van down an embankment. The company beforehand recognized the car as a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.
Three adults and 4 juveniles within the van have been taken to Denver Health by ambulance, hospital officers mentioned in an announcement.
A fifth juvenile passenger was airlifted to a separate trauma middle with crucial accidents, in keeping with the state patrol. No different accidents have been reported.
As of Monday morning, what induced the plow driver to lose management and whether or not he’ll face any costs within the crash remained underneath investigation, Alvarado mentioned.
The plow driver was positioned on administrative go away following the crash, which is the Colorado Department of Transportation’s coverage, Communications Director Matt Inzeo mentioned.
“The Colorado State Patrol continues to investigate this incident, and the findings from that investigation will inform next steps,” Inzeo mentioned.
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