The Colorado State Patrol is investigating seven fatal traffic accidents that killed eight people around the state on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The crashes included a head-on collision, single-car rollovers and other losses of control. In Adams and El Paso counties, drivers who stepped out of their vehicles on the side of the road were struck by passing cars.
Also over the weekend, a Colorado State Patrol vehicle was hit from behind while stopped on Interstate 70 near the scene of an earlier crash between Rifle and Glenwood Springs. Neither the trooper nor the driver of the other vehicle reported injuries.
The state patrol says winter conditions, heavy holiday traffic and unsafe driving contributed to the crashes. They remind drivers to slow down, keep more distance between vehicles and use extra caution.
Information on fatal crashes as provided by the Colorado State Patrol:
Feb. 14, 2025:
Elbert County: On Highway 86, milepost 25, in Elbert County, a Ford Explorer was traveling westbound and attempted to pass a Peterbuilt semi-truck. While driving in the eastbound lane to overtake the semi-truck, a Freightliner semi-truck was coming eastbound. The Ford Explorer collided head on with the Freightliner, pushing the Freightliner into the left rear side of the Peterbuilt. No vehicles left the roadway. The female driver of the Ford Explorer died at the scene and the Freightliner driver self transported to an area medical center with complaints of injury.
Park County: A single-vehicle crash occurred in Park County on Highway 9 at 4:51 p.m. A 2005 Kia Sorento was traveling southbound on Highway 9 when it began rotating clockwise and went off the right side of the road. The Kia continued southbound off road and rolled multiple times. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and stayed in the vehicle. The driver was extricated and transported to St. Anthony Summit Hospital in Frisco, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Feb. 15, 2025:
Adams County: A single-vehicle crash involving a Chevy 1500 occurred at 7:45 a.m. on Highway 79 (Kiowa - Bennett Road) near milepost 4. The Chevy was traveling southbound on Highway 79 when it lost control and drove off the west side of the roadway. The Chevy rolled multiple times and came to rest on its roof in a field. The male driver was dead at the scene. The Adams County Coroner will release the identity of the driver after family notifications are complete.
Archuleta County: Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash with four total occupants on Highway 84, near milepost 18 (near Pagosa Springs) at 5:29 p.m. A 2021 Ford F250 was northbound on Highway 84 when it moved into the southbound lane where a 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer was traveling. The Trailerblazer moved into the northbound lane and then the Ford F250 returned back into its original lane, colliding with the Trailblazer. The Trailblazer was pushed northbound and hit the guardrail on the northbound side of the road. The Ford F250 traveled into the southbound lane colliding with the guardrail on the south side of the highway. The driver of the Trailblazer died at the scene. The backseat occupant of the Trailblazer, a child, was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead. The front-seat passenger of the Trailblazer was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Ford 250 was transported to a medical facility with moderate injuries.
Garfield County: A two-vehicle crash on eastbound Highway 82, near Glenwood Springs occurred around 8:36 p.m. A 2002 Toyota Camry was traveling westbound on Highway 82 and a 2025 Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound on Highway 82 near milepost 3.35. The 2002 Camry lost control after negotiating a left curve and traveled across both westbound lanes into the eastbound lane while rotating counter-clockwise. The 2025 Camry struck the front passenger side of the 2002 Camry. After impact, the 2002 Camry continued off the eastbound shoulder and down an embankment. The 2025 Camry stopped in the eastbound lanes of Hwy 82. The driver of the 2002 Camry was dead at the scene. Three occupants in the 2025 Camry were transported to Valley View Hospital; two of these individuals sustained serious bodily injury.
Feb. 16, 2025, as of 3 p.m.:
Fort Carson: At 6:24 a.m., Colorado State Troopers responded to a two-vehicle and pedestrian crash on southbound I-25. A 2018 Volvo VNL was pulling a trailer and traveling southbound on I-25. A Dodge Ram 2500 was parked on the shoulder of I-25, facing south, with its hazard lights activated. A pedestrian, the driver of the Dodge Ram, was in front of his vehicle. The Volvo lost control and collided its right side with the rear of the Dodge Ram. After impact, the Dodge Ram was pushed southbound hitting the pedestrian. The Dodge Ram continued traveling southbound off the right side of the road and the pedestrian remained on the right-hand shoulder. An off-duty firefighter stopped and rendered aid to the pedestrian. The pedestrian was transported to UCHealth Memorial, where he died of his injuries. This crash remains under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol Vehicular Crimes Unit. Southbound I-25 at Exit 132 was closed for approximately 5.5 hours to investigate, remove diesel and recover the vehicles.
Adams County: At 7:50 a.m. on eastbound Highway 36 at Pecos Street, the Colorado State Patrol responded to a crash. The driver of a 2022 Toyota Corolla pulled over to the right shoulder of Highway 36 and exited his vehicle to clean his windshield. Then a driver of a silver Toyota RAV4, also pulled over to clean his windshield and struck the driver of the Toyota Corolla and his open car door. The driver of the Corolla was thrown into the middle lane of Highway 36 and hit a second time by a red Toyota RAV4. The drivers of both Toyota RAV4 vehicles remained on scene. The driver of the Corolla was transported to North Suburban Medical Center and pronounced dead. The coroner's office will release the driver's identity after family notifications have been completed. The driver of the silver Toyota RAV4 was arrested for careless driving causing death and booked into Adams County Jail.
