I-70 to remain closed until Saturday following crash in DVR

[d3500ram]

Story here.

Folks may have heard about this... I am getting calls from afar so it must be making national news. Horrible, horrible accident. I am on that portion of I70 often and know it pretty well. Can't imagine it when evening rush hours has many cars on it.

[gwalter]

I 70 is now open again in both directions.

[Beverley_Ken]

'International' news, saw it up here, north of Toronto, this evening.

Ken

[Bionic_Man]

Other videos have been posted of him driving erratically further up the mountain. One was right next to the last run-away truck ramp.

This location of the accident was also far enough down the mountain that I can't imagine it was a case of lost brakes.

I70 Westbound is now open for the record.

[d3500ram]

Yep, the accident in front caused the back-ups where this one occurred.

There is about 3 miles of mostly flat interstate from where the "real" hills end and where this firey crash happened. The last run-away ramp is several miles before this.

I am going to toss out a theory that he came down the mountain, lost the brakes somewhere and did not know it, kept cruising at a good clip until traffic back-up and then realized the Oh,S moment ...but at that point it was too late.

If a fully laden truck hit the flats at say 75MPH and had no brakes, could one "coast" down to a manageable speed in 3 miles?

on edit:
4 people killed in fiery crash on I-70

Lakewood Police Department Agent Ty Countryman: "He (Aguilera-Mederos) loses control of the vehicle coming down I-70," said Countryman. "He can't stop, doesn't stop and he ends up colliding with several cars and as a result of that, the fire ensues and we have what everybody saw from the videos."

[campinginthewoo]

There was apparently another wreck about 1.5 miles ahead of where this horrible wreck happened and there's like a 6% grade down hill before it flattens out and it's possible that he lost his brakes sadly no runaway ramps near where this was. Authorities stated no drugs or alcohol in the driver. It's sad tradgity for all involved prayers to all. The families of those who lost loved ones and to all of the police,fire,EMS and tow truck operators and airflights and those who witnessed the tragedy

[bgum]

Sleeping while driving or medical issue as drugs and alcohol do not seem to be involved. The overall quality of new semi drivers today doesn't appear to meet or exceed the quality of drivers from past years. That combined with more traffic is a recipe for disaster.

[toedtoes]

Charging him now allows them to keep him there until the investigation is complete.

It may end up he is released and all charges are dropped. Or they could find that he was negligent.

[d3500ram]

I am reading where they are charging the driver with multiple counts of vehicular homicide. I am not a lawyer, but if they made those charges this soon does that mean it was NOT an accident? (that is, can an accident warrant those charges?)

I am aghast... they still do not have a final body count.

[d3500ram]

...gotta wonder what would possess that semi driver to go flying by at that speed.....

That part of I-70 is just the beginning part of the flat portion once getting down from the mountains. It is about 3 miles away from where the "hills" end and changes to flat.

Any supposition right now is only guessing but a lot of speculation (short of a medical episode or malicious intent) could be that it lost it brakes comin' down the mountain. It happens often... there a reason for run away truck ramps.

I am not an OTR tractor driver but if it did lose its brakes, I would think that the driver would realize it long before this 3 mile extent into the the flat portion. If it was brake failure perhaps the driver panicked.... but how and why it would still be flying at the rate it was at the point of accident is mind boggling.

[BobsYourUncle]

Wow, gotta wonder what would possess that semi driver to go flying by at that speed....
Horrible mess.

[turbojimmy]

Yeah that was in our local news here in NJ.