Santa Clarita youth hockey players hospitalized after deadly Colorado crash
Several youth hockey players and their families were hospitalized, and one of their fathers died after a multi-vehicle crash in Colorado.
The deadly collision happened just after 7:50 a.m. Pacific time on I-70 in Colorado's Clear Creek County, less than 50 miles away from Denver, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
The collision involved a Colorado Department of Transportation plow, two passenger vehicles and the sprinter van carrying the members of the Santa Clarita Flyers 12-and-under team and their families.
Investigators said there were 10 people in the Sprinter van. Paramedics drove seven of the passengers to the hospital, four of whom were juveniles and three were adults. Another juvenile, who sustained critical injuries, was airlifted to a local trauma center.
One passenger, a man, refused transport to the hospital. Authorities declared the driver of the van, the father of a player, dead at the scene.
"Everybody involved, that was brought to us, was pretty banged up," Dr. Eric Lavonas from Denver Health said. "Some of the adults have internal injuries; they are going to require treatment from our trauma team. Fortunately, the children have a lot of bruises, scrapes and cuts, all stuff that is easily managed."
Hospital officials said that four children have been released or are in the process of being released. Of the three adults, two are in serious condition, and one is in fair condition.
The team said three of their players and their families were traveling to a Western Girls Hockey League game.
According to the WGHL's website, the Santa Clarita Flyers 12U team was scheduled to play at 8:45 a.m. at an ice skating rink in Littleton, CO, southwest of Denver.
"We ask that you keep our hockey families in your prayers and that you give them time to sort through the details of this tragic event," the team wrote in an Instagram post.
