Three people — including two children — were killed in a devastating crash on Interstate 70 in Colorado, authorities confirmed.
The collision occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, when a blue 2021 Subaru Forester rear-ended a semi-truck towing a trailer. The crash happened about 75 miles east of Denver, according to a news release from the Colorado State Patrol (CSP).
CSP Trooper Sherri Mendez told The Colorado Gazette that the impact ripped apart the passenger side of the Subaru, causing the vehicle to spin out of control and flip onto its roof. The force of the rollover severed the front passenger’s seatbelt, resulting in that person being ejected from the car.
The Subaru was carrying a family from Montana. The victims were identified as a 47-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy, The Gazette and KUSA-TV reported. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The 62-year-old male driver of the Subaru was taken to the hospital and was reported in stable condition as of Thursday morning. The driver of the semi-truck was not injured.
A witness, John Andazola, told KDVR that the driver of the Subaru managed to exit the car and asked for help, telling those nearby that his family was on their way to Arkansas for his mother’s funeral.
“I feel bad for the gentleman. He lost his family,” Andazola said. “When we got to the car, I could see right away they hadn’t survived. The roof was completely torn off, and the vehicle was upside down.”
Andazola added that the man appeared dazed and traumatized. “We pulled him away so he wouldn’t have to see his family in that condition,” he said.
The eastbound lanes of I-70 were shut down until 8 p.m. Wednesday night as authorities investigated and cleared the wreckage.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
