Police are still looking for witnesses who may have observed a serious accident in Golden Gate Canyon State Park on the night of Feb. 22. Colorado authorities say park rangers are leading the investigation, which is uncommon in the case of car accidents. However, their investigation is still ongoing at this time.
Very little information has been made available regarding the specifics of this accident, but it has been confirmed that two vehicles were involved — a pickup truck and an SUV. It appears to have been a head-on crash that took place on Drew Hill Road. Of the individuals involved, nothing was noted in the report about the occupants of the SUV.
The occupants of the pickup truck, however, were both seriously injured in the crash. Police say neither individual was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision, which meant when their vehicle crashed they both suffered serious injuries. The driver is believed to have struck the steering wheel, while both the driver and passenger impacted the windshield at high speed. Police have not filed charges against anyone involved, but they say the occupants of the pickup truck do not appear to have been in the wrong.
In car accidents where a clear cause is not immediately obvious, Colorado police tend to investigate all possible causes thoroughly. Speed appears to have been a factor in this crash, which means charges may yet be forthcoming against the driver of the other vehicle. However, even if no criminal charges are filed, the injured parties in the pickup truck are entitled to file personal injury lawsuits against that driver in a civil court setting, using any evidence of negligence or recklessness on the part of the other driver to bolster their claim.
Source: CBS Denver, “Authorities Looking For Witnesses Is Serious Head-On Crash“, Feb. 25, 2018