A collision on U.S. Highway 160 caused road closures and sent two people to the hospital, according to local news. Colorado State Patrol, in conjunction with the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the accident along with fire and other emergency crews. As with many car accidents of this type, an investigation is still underway into its cause, and so far, no charges have been filed.
According to the accident report, authorities were called in shortly after 2 p.m., responding to a car accident involving two vehicles. It appears a vehicle driven by a 71-year-old man was attempting to negotiate a left-hand turn from County Road 34 onto the eastbound highway. As he was entering the turn, a 25-year-old man headed westbound T-boned his vehicle. The force of the impact trapped the older man in his vehicle, where he needed to be extricated by emergency crews.
The man was rushed to a local hospital via ambulance in critical condition. The other man’s injuries were not reported, but he was also transported to hospital in an ambulance. Police closed the highway for the better part of an hour in both directions to take stock of the accident. Their investigation is ongoing.
In car accidents where a clear cause is not immediately evident, further investigation is necessary before Colorado authorities will determine whether charges will be filed. Given that both drivers were alone in their vehicles and both sustained injuries, it will remain to be seen which of them is considered materially responsible for the crash. Both men are entitled to file personal injury suits against one another in civil court, but both will need to provide compelling evidence in order for the court to award damages to one or both individuals.