Colorado State Patrol identifies plow truck driver involved in I-70 crash

Colorado State Patrol has identified the driver of a CDOT plow truck involved in a fatal crash on Interstate 70 on Thursday, Jan. 29. Troopers responded to the fatal crash around 8:53 a.m. on the snow-covered surface of eastbound Interstate 70 at mile point 218 near Herman Gulch and east of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels. The crash involved a snow plow, a sprinter van carrying a hockey team from California and two additional passenger vehicles.

Preliminary information from a Colorado State Patrol investigation shows that the CDOT plow truck was traveling westbound on Interstate 70 when the driver lost control. The plow truck traveled through the median, breaking through the cable rail and into the eastbound lanes. It then collided with a Toyota Tacoma that was traveling in the eastbound lanes.

Following impact, the Toyota went through the median and struck a BMW traveling the westbound lanes. The plow continued eastbound and struck a Ford transit van that was traveling in the eastbound lanes, resulting in the van going down an embankment. The CDOT plow came to rest on the shoulder.

According to a Colorado State Patrol news release, the plow truck’s driver was 29-year-old Littleton resident Colton A. Weidman. The Toyota Tacoma was driven by a Silverthorne resident, while the BMW was driven by a Denver resident. The Toyota Tacoma had a 65 year old female passenger, according to Colorado State patrol.

The driver of the van, which was carrying 10 occupants, was declared dead at the scene, and at least seven passenger, including four juveniles, were transported from the scene, according to Colorado State Patrol. One injured juvenile was transported by helicopter to an area trauma center with critical injuries, and one adult male refused to be transported. No other involved parties were transported from the scene. 

The crash remains under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol Vehicular Crimes Unit.