An 18-year-old from Aurora tragically lost his life on Sunday after a fatal collision with a semitrailer while driving the wrong way on Interstate 70 near Watkins, as reported by the Colorado State Patrol.
The incident occurred around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday when state patrol troopers received reports of a wrong-way driver traveling west in the eastbound lanes of I-70 near Watkins. A trooper attempted to alert the driver by using a spotlight, but the young man from Aurora did not respond and continued driving against oncoming traffic, ultimately leading to the fatal collision with the semitrailer.
Despite the trooper following the 18-year-old with emergency lights activated from the westbound highway, the Aurora driver collided head-on with the semitrailer, resulting in his tragic death upon impact. Fortunately, the driver of the semitrailer escaped unharmed.
The identity of the Aurora driver will be disclosed by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office once his family has been notified, and an autopsy has been completed. The 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, under the jurisdiction of the Westminster Police Department, is currently investigating the crash.
This unfortunate incident marks the second fatal wrong-way crash of the weekend, with another Colorado driver losing their life on Friday after veering into oncoming traffic on U.S. 285 near Conifer. In addition to the fatality, two children and another driver sustained injuries in that particular collision.
As the investigation continues into this tragic event, our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young man from Aurora who lost his life in this devastating accident.
[Original article published on November 25, 2024 at 2:17 PM MST: Read Here]
