One person is dead and another is critically injured following a semi truck crash on Interstate 70, according to local law enforcement. Colorado State Patrol responded to the crash on the morning of Dec. 12. Thankfully, no other vehicles were involved in the accident, but as with most truck accidents of this magnitude, the investigation is ongoing.
According to state officers, the crash occurred around 10:30 a.m. near the US 40 exit. It appears the driver of the truck, who has not been publicly identified by police, lost control of the westbound vehicle. This caused the truck to cross the median into the eastbound lanes, where it struck a set of concrete bridge pillars. The force of the impact necessitated the closure of I-40 in both directions for several hours while collision analysts studied the scene.
One person died in the crash. Another individual, not identified by police, was injured and rushed to a local hospital with injuries described as serious. It is unclear whether it was the driver or the passenger who was killed, but police are continuing to investigate. They have not speculated on a cause of the accident at this time.
Fatal truck accidents are a common occurrence on Colorado highways. Authorities will determine why the vehicle crashed and plan next steps from there. If the driver survived the accident and is found to be materially responsible for the accident, he or she could face criminal charges depending upon the cause of the crash. If the driver did not survive, the injured passenger may choose to file a personal injury suit against his or her estate in a civil court. If the passenger perished, his or her family could file a wrongful death suit against the driver.
Source: kdvr.com, “One killed, one injured in semitruck crash on I-70 west of U.S. 40 exit“, Chuck Hickey, Dec. 12, 2017