An Amazon semi-truck crashed head-on with an SUV Monday morning near the Town of Byers, Sgt. Patrick Rice, a public information officer with Colorado State Patrol told Denver7.
The truck hit a guard rail and crossed over the median into oncoming traffic just after 2:15 a.m., Sgt. Rice said initial reports showed.
Both the semi and the SUV caught fire after they collided, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
The driver of the semi wasn't injured, according to Sgt. Rice. There were eight people in the SUV, seven of them were taken to the hospital with unknown extent of injuries, Sgt. Rice said.
Why the semi hit the guard rail is under investigation, according to CSP. The semi-truck driver has not been cited due to the on-going investigation, according to Sgt. Rice.
All lanes of eastbound Interstate 70 near Byers temporarily closed Monday morning for the crash investigation and cleanup, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said.
#TRAFFIC ALERT: All lanes of eastbound I-70 are closed at Byers due to a serious crash. Traffic is being diverted onto Highway 40, then motorists can get back onto I-70 at Deer Trail. Sheriff deputies are on scene at the crash which involves a semi-truck and an SUV. Both vehicles… pic.twitter.com/NcoNSSb4LD
— Arapahoe Sheriff (@ArapahoeSO) June 17, 2024
That section of the highway re-opened just after 9:45 a.m., two hours after CSP hoped it could.
Drivers were diverted onto Highway 40, then back onto I-70 at Deer Trail.