DENVER — Nine people have died in seven crashes on Colorado roads during the last 72 hours, according to Colorado State Troopers. The agency says all of the crashes were preventable.
“This is an epidemic that has to stop right now,” said Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew Packard, who was visibly agitated by the deadly crashes. “Selfish driving caused each one of these crashes. Inattentive. Impairment. Just not paying attention.”
One of the crashes Chief Packard is referring to is the one on Interstate 70 near Genesee on Christmas Eve.
Troopers say a vehicle driving east — toward Denver — crossed the median and slammed into another vehicle diving west.
Sancy Shaw died in the crash and her 6-year-old daughter was badly hurt and is fighting for her life in the hospital.
Troopers suspect the driver who caused it — who also died — was drunk and high on marijuana.
“This is unacceptable, and frankly, we’re furious,” Chief Packard said. “It has to stop. We need your help. Step up and be better drivers.”
The Colorado Department of Transportation is stepping up.
The area where the I-70 crash happened did not have continuous guardrails, but it will within the next few months.
CDOT’s in the middle of a $2.5 million project to complete the guardrails from Genesee to Morrison.
“We’re placing the guardrails there and helping to reduce the severity of crashes, and to possibly help prevent a car going eastbound and crossing over to westbound,” CDOT’s Tamara Rollison told FOX31.
As of Dec. 27, 600 people have died on Colorado’s roads in 2018. That’s less than 2017, but still one of the deadliest years in the last decade.