DENVER – The driver suspected of causing a head-on crash on Highway 285 last Thursday near Conifer, who died the day after the crash, was already facing potential charges in Teller and Park counties related to police chases that both happened earlier this month, according to court records.
The Jefferson County coroner on Monday identified the driver of the red Dodge Ram pickup that was believed to have crossed the center line and hit another truck head-on as Benjamin Bobier, 36, of Colorado Springs.
The coroner also identified the two people inside the other truck, a Ford, who were killed as 2-year-old Jordan Snell and 55-year-old Diana Snell.
Court records show Bobier was charged earlier this month with vehicular eluding, reckless driving, speeding more than 40 miles per hour over the limit and failure to report an accident to police in Park County stemming from an incident on Aug. 6.
Additionally, the records show he was facing potential charges in Teller County from a separate incident on Aug. 8. His arrest-only charges included vehicular eluding, reckless driving, speeding more than 40 miles per hour over the limit, passing where prohibited and failure to obey traffic devices.
The records show that he posted $2,000 bonds in each case on Aug. 10 and 11. He failed to appear at his Park County bond appearance on Aug. 23, however, according to the court records.
The deadly crash happened on Aug. 26 around 3:40 p.m. on Highway 285 between Pine Junction and Conifer. According to Colorado State Patrol, Bobier was driving the pickup southbound, crossed the highway, and hit the other pickup truck head-on.
Bobier suffered serious injuries and died at a hospital Friday afternoon, Colorado State Patrol said over the weekend. A 58-year-old female passenger in his truck was also seriously injured.
The two Snells in the other truck died in the crash, and a 35-year-old woman and 31-year-old man from Englewood were also injured.
A spokesperson for Colorado State Patrol said Monday that it is very unlikely that the investigation would be submitted to the district attorney’s office to consider charges since Bobier is deceased and considered to be the driver most likely to be at fault.
The agency said last week that it was investigating whether alcohol and excessive speed contributed to the crash, and a spokesperson said there were reports the truck that Bobier was driving was driving “very recklessly” before the crash.