DENVER — A multi-vehicle crash involving nearly a dozen cars on the I-70 Mountain Corridor forced the closure of the westbound lanes of the highway between US 40 and Georgetown for more than three hours Monday.
The crash on westbound I-70 near milepost 231 in Clear Creek County was reported at about 10:16 a.m., according to Colorado State Patrol tropoers. Initial reports indicated the crash involved at least eight vehicles and there were reports of injuries.
Once at the scene, troopers found the crash involved at least 11 vehicles, including two semis and one F350 hauling a livestock trailer. The F350 lost diesel fuel from an auxiliary tank, troopers said, adding a HazMat response team had also responded to clean up an estimated 80 gallons of spilled fuel on the roadway.
The driver of the F350 was cited for careless driving "as a result of driving too fast for conditions," according to a news release from the CSP.
Two people involved in the crash were taken to local hospitals after reporting they were injured, troopers said. None of the livestock were harmed.
The westbound lanes of I-70 were closed between Exit 232 US 40/Empire Junction and Exit 228 in Georgetown due to the crash for about three and a half hours, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
The westbound lanes of I-70 were back open by 1:47 p.m., CDOT officials said.
Moderate to heavy snow will continue in the mountains Monday, according to Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo. Winds will gust up to 40 mph will make for dangerous conditions, with blowing and drifting snow, especially over mountain passes.
A band of heavy snow that produced up to four inches of snowfall per hour near Winter Park was expected to move southward towards I-70 between 2-3 p.m., per the National Weather Service in Boulder. Forecasters advise that anyone traveling to the mountains allow for extra travel time.
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