Father ID’d as Victim Killed in Crash with Snowplow While Driving Girls Hockey Team to a Tournament

A father has been identified as the driver who died in a crash last week involving a girls hockey team van and a snowplow in Colorado.

The collision happened Thursday, Jan. 29, on Interstate 70 after a Colorado Department of Transportation snowplow driver reportedly lost control while traveling westbound, striking a sprinter van carrying the Santa Clarita Flyers Hockey Club. The van’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Five juveniles and three adults were taken to the hospital.

The Clear Creek County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas, 38, of Chatsworth, California, according to ABC affiliate KMGH, The Los Angeles Times and radio station KHTS.

A GoFundMe set up to support Lorenzana’s family described him as “a hero and the epitome of what an amazing man, father, partner and friend should be.”

The fundraiser said he was known as Manny Lorenzana and remembered him as “a supportive man to his soulmate April” and “the most caring, involved, fun, kind and loving parent, and best friend, to his daughter Brody.”

The organizer added, “He was a family man to the core, and a wonderful son to his mother and best brother to his sisters and brother.”

According to the GoFundMe, Lorenzana was a tattoo artist and owned the Rare Hearts Tattoo Club shop. The fundraiser had raised more than $66,000.

The girls team had been traveling to Denver for a tournament when the crash occurred. The team later chose to continue playing, and Lorenzana’s daughter rejoined her teammates on Saturday, Jan. 31, after being released from the hospital, according to The Los Angeles Times.

The Flyers posted two wins on Friday and a loss on Saturday before advancing with a 14–0 victory, the outlet reported.