LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The four people who were killed in Thursday’s fiery crash on Interstate 70 were identified by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Sunday night.
The victims were identified as four adult men from Colorado:
- Doyle Harrison, 61, of Hudson
- William Bailey, 67, of Arvada
- Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 24, of Denver
- Stanley Politano, 69, of Arvada
The exact causes of deaths are pending further studies, the coroner’s office said.
Politano’s family told FOX31 that he is survived by his wife and two sons and was the Executive Vice President for casino development company Jacobs Entertainment.
He attended the University of Colorado and was a graduate of Wheat Ridge High School.
Politano was on his way home when he was involved in the crash.
28 vehicles were involved in the crash that injured at least six other people in the eastbound lanes of I-70 near Denver West Colorado Mills Parkway just before 5 p.m. on Thursday.
The crash happened as an out of control semi-truck carrying lumber crashed into the vehicles that were stuck in traffic.
According to an arrest affidavit, the driver of the truck, 23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, of Houston, told investigators that the brakes on the semi failed before the crash and that he was going more than 80 mph at the time of the crash.
Aguilera-Mederos appeared before a judge on Saturday morning for his first advisement where his bond was set at $400,000.
He was taken into custody following the crash on multiple counts of vehicular homicide but has not been formally charged.
Investigators reviewed a number of videos that appeared to show Aguilera-Mederos out of control, including one filmed by Pedro Olvera. That video appears to show Aguilera-Mederos passing a runaway truck ramp and signs warning truckers about steep grades as the interstate winds into the Denver area.
Another video captured by a YouTuber appeared to show a semi speeding down the shoulder of the interstate moments before the crash happened.
Both lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours following the crash as the Colorado Department of Transportation repaired the highway.
Charges are expected to be formally filed during Aguilera-Mederos’ next court appearance on May 3.