Pileup on I-70 in Colorado leads to kindness on New Year's Eve
A multi-vehicle crash closed the eastbound lanes of I-70 just west of Georgetown on Tuesday afternoon for several hours but reopened around 3 p.m.
The Colorado State Patrol says the crash involved a semi-truck that was hauling cars.
Eastbound traffic was at a standstill according to the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office.
CSP said westbound traffic was unaffected.
What caused the crash involving at least nine vehicles is being investigated.
The highway was closed eastbound at Silverthorne to prevent people from getting on the highway, but traffic that was already headed east was directed off at Silver Plume. The small town hugs the highway west of Georgetown.
"We thought, 'well it's a perfect day for driving, we'll leave a little bit late, get down the mountain early afternoon,'" said Mike Huguelet, who had an SUV full of people who'd been skiing and boarding. "Didn't turn out that way but we're glad everyone's OK and safe."
Colorado State Patrol said three people were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not serious.
It meant trucks were parked in the backup for miles. Gorge Mendez and his son Jaime made it into Silver Plume after delivering cabinets to the high country. They were headed back to Denver, where family waited to celebrate New Year's Eve.
"We just finished up what we had in our truck, headed back home, and now not going nowhere," Jaime said.
Tia Carlson was trying to get her daughter Katie Mae Carlson to Denver to catch a flight to her current home.
"I go back to Hawaii tomorrow," said Katie Mae.
"And it's not going to happen. So I'm going to have to drop her and her luggage here and have her friend come get her and all of her luggage," said her mother.
Earlier, three young college-aged women made their way to the station for the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad in Silver Plume. They had a similar problem, though even more urgency to make a flight. The Loop Railroad gets very busy at this time of year and is often sold out.
"I said 'yeah, we can figure something out,'" said Sam McCloskey, the railroad's chief mechanical officer.
"I knew we had some empty spots on the train because the people caught in the traffic jam," McCloskey said. "So I took them out and put them on the train. And gave them a ride to Georgetown."
Family picked them up in Georgetown on the other side of the highway closure. Loop Railroad workers were rooting for them to make their flight and McCloskey said he was glad to assist: "I just, enjoy helping people."
