The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) is investigating a tragic accident that occurred Friday night on Highway 76 near County Road MM3, which led to the death of a passenger and left two others with minor injuries. According to CSP, the crash was caused by a driver heading the wrong way on the highway.
What Happened
Around 11 p.m., a 62-year-old man from Denver was driving a GMC Sierra pickup truck east in the westbound lanes of Highway 76. At the same time, a woman was driving a Honda west on the highway.
As the two vehicles neared each other, the woman attempted to swerve to avoid the truck, but the truck’s front passenger side collided with the front passenger side of her car.
Following the collision, the GMC Sierra truck rotated and rolled, coming to a stop on its roof in the middle of the road. The Honda continued driving east but went off the road after the crash. CSP confirmed that both drivers, as well as the truck’s passenger, were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
Fatalities and Injuries
The passenger in the truck, a 44-year-old man from Thornton, was critically injured and later pronounced dead at the hospital. Both the driver of the Honda and the driver of the GMC Sierra were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, and they are expected to recover.
Ongoing Investigation
CSP is working to determine why the GMC Sierra was traveling in the wrong direction on Highway 76, and the investigation is still ongoing. Charges related to the crash are pending, but authorities have not yet revealed more details.