Adams Sheriff: Deputy Keeps Wrong-Way Vehicle From Hitting Others In I-70 Crash
ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- An Adams County deputy drove his deputy patrol car into the path of a wrong-way vehicle to stop it from hitting others on Interstate 70 late Monday, Adams County Sheriff's Office posted on social media. An 83-year-old man from Colorado Springs was determined to be driving the wrong way, and he was seriously hurt in the crash with a 26-year-old male deputy, who intervened to stop the wrong-way vehicle from hitting anyone. The deputy had minor injuries.
According to the sheriff's office, just after 11 p.m., deputies responded to the report of a driver traveling westbound on eastbound I-70 near Strasburg. Colorado State Patrol had made the request of the sheriff's office to respond to the wrong-way driver on the eastbound I-70 stretch near mile marker 328. CSP and Arapahoe County deputies had failed to stop the wrong-way driver before the Adams deputy caught up to him.
Colorado State Patrol confirmed with CBS4 an 83-year-old man from Colorado Springs was driving a Jeep eastbound on I-70 westbound. The responding Adams deputy was able to stop the wrong-way driver in the area of mile marker 310 when he put himself and his vehicle in harms on I-70, allowing himself to be struck so the other vehicles would not be hit.
The impact pushed both vehicles over 140 feet and into the front of a stopped semi-truck. CSP confirmed the 83-year-old did have serious injuries in the crash and was issued citations for careless driving and driving the wrong way. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. The deputy had minor injuries and was taken to the hospital out of precaution.
A 40-year-old man driving the semi that ended up being involved in the crash was not hurt.
Alcohol or others drugs are not being investigated as factors in the crash. Colorado State Patrol is leading the crash investigation.
"We are thankful that the only casualties were the vehicles involved," the sheriff's office posted on Facebook. "There is no doubt that without the deputy's quick action and bravery several, vehicles would have been struck at high speeds and lives would have been lost."
