I-70 Reopens Between US 6 Loveland Pass And Silverthorne After Deadly Semi Crash
SILVERTHORNE, Colo. (CBS4)- All lanes of Interstate 70 reopened between Exit 216 US 6 Loveland Pass and Exit 205 Silverthorne on Wednesday afternoon. Both directions were closed for several hours due to a deadly, fiery semi crash.
Eastbound lanes reopened just before 11 a.m. Westbound lanes reopened just before 4 p.m.
Westbound lanes were closed for an extended period of time, including the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels, due to the semi crash and cleanup. Drivers were told to expect delays. Traffic was being detoured on US 6 Loveland Pass.
The semi crashed into one passenger vehicle and then slammed into three parked construction vehicles before overturning and bursting into flames late Tuesday night. The semi driver was trapped inside.
Colorado State Patrol says they are investigating speed as a possible factor in the crash.
Several construction workers had to scramble to get out of the way and one was injured and rushed to Summit Medical Center for treatment. The crash happened about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday on a westbound I-70 bridge just east of Silverthorne.
When firefighters arrived, they found the cab of the tractor-trailer fully engulfed in flames and diesel fuel and oil leaking from several of the vehicles. The semi driver, a 46-year-old man from California, did not survive.
Timofey Malyshkin is the construction worker injured in the crash. According to a GoFundMe set up in his name, he was thrown from his work truck and into a ditch. He suffered many broken bones and a concussion. The timeline for his recovery is unclear.
The eastbound lanes of I-70 were closed for hours as a safety precaution due to the visibility and sensitivity of crash cleanup on the westbound side. The Colorado Department of Transportation will likely have to repair some damage to a barrier and repave a section of the road at a later time.
Summit Fire and EMS were first to respond and Wednesday, offered condolences to the family of the man killed.
"We take it to heart when we are not able to save a life. It hurts us and so I think it's ya know, appropriate for all of us to take a moment and pause and think about the life that was lost and mourn that, because that's just the worst outcome that we could ever imagine," said Steve Lipsher, Community Resource Officer for Summit Fire and EMS.
Information for drivers on alternate routes and updates are posted on COtrip.org.
