DENVER – Two people were killed and three others were injured in a three-vehicle crash on the HOV lane of Interstate 25 early Saturday evening, a spokesperson for the Colorado State Patrol told Denver7.
The crash was reported by the Colorado Department of Transportation at 6 p.m. Officials said both directions of the highway were closed from 19th Street to US 36 and advised travelers to expect delays in the area of 58th Avenue as crews worked to clean up the crash.
upd:HOV Lane remains closed on I-25 from 19 St to US 36 b/c a crash left lane closed on NB/SB I-25 @ 58 Ave;Expect delays in area
— CDOT (@ColoradoDOT) January 28, 2018
The crash involved a 2006 black Jeep utility, a 2002 gray Chevy Impala and a 2003 tan Honda CRV, according to the CSP spokesperson.
It happened after the Jeep, traveling the wrong way, crashed nearly head-on with the Honda CRV. That Honda then collided with the back of the Chevy Impala.
On Sunday, CSP Trooper Jonathan Higgs identified the driver killed in the crash as 47-year-old Miguel Ramirez Gutierrez. A 17-year-old boy, also killed in the crash, was not identified by name.
The two other injured passengers inside that CRV were identified as 45-year-old Maria Muro Palacios and 20-year-old Selma Ramirez Muro. All of the victims inside the CRV are from Thornton.
The driver of the Jeep was identified as a Kimbelry Rodriguez Roldan, 24, of Denver. Roldan is being treated for her injuries at a hospital and she faces potential charges of two counts of vehicle homicide and vehicular assault.
Crews cleared the scene of the crash along the stretch of the I-25 HOV lane at around 7:40 p.m., but the HOV lanes were back open until 5 a.m. Sunday, according to CDOT officials.