DENVER — Two separate crashes involving multiple vehicles killed six people and injured one on northbound Interstate 25 in Weld County Monday afternoon.
Northbound lanes at mile marker 235 near the CO 52 exit and mile marker 243 near the CO 66 exit were shut down for hours while traffic backed up. The lanes reopened later in the day.
The crash at mile marker 243 occurred around 1:30 p.m. and involved four vehicles, including a Kenworth semi-truck. The crash resulted in five fatalities from one vehicle, a 2015 Ford Edge, and minor injuries to the driver of another vehicle, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
Troopers said the 26-year-old driver of the semi-truck rear-ended the Ford Edge after the SUV slowed for northbound traffic up ahead. The collision set off a series of other crashes involving two other vehicles.
It is believed the Kenworth struck the Ford Edge a second time before the Kenworth hit the cable rail in the median, coming to a stop.
All five victims in the Ford Edge were from Gillette, Wyoming, and include:
• A 20-year-old male driver, declared deceased at the hospital, later identified as Aaron Godines
• A 20-year-old female passenger, declared deceased on scene, later identified as Halie Everts
• A 47-year-old female passenger, declared deceased on scene, later identified as Christina Godines
• A 3-month-old female passenger, declared deceased on scene, later identified as Tessleigh Godines
• A 51-year-old male passenger, declared deceased on scene, later identified as Emiliano Godines
The driver of the Kenworth was not injured. A 45-year-old man in a third vehicle was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The identities of the fatal victims have yet to be released.
A separate crash at mile marker 235 happened at 2:22 p.m. and involved two semi trucks and a motorcycle. The motorcyclist, a 30-year-old man from Northglenn, was pronounced deceased at the scene, troopers said. No other injuries were reported.
According to a release from the Colorado State Patrol, the two semis were traveling side-by-side in separate lanes northbound on I-25 when the motorcyclist changed lanes multiple times, striking both trucks.
The motorcycle rolled, slid into the middle lane, and was run over by one of the semis, which came to a complete stop in the right lane. The second truck did not stop, troopers said.
Investigators are requesting anyone that may have witnesses either incidents or has dash-cam video, to contact Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Winsett at 970-506-4999.