A fifth person has died after a multi-vehicle crash occurred along Interstate 25 south of Pueblo, which is dotted with blowing dust and strong winds, giving drivers little or no visibility, said authorities on Wednesday.
Colorado State Patrol said the fifth fatality occurred in the hospital after the accidents occurred along I-25 Tuesday morning, though the troopers have not revealed further details regarding the condition of the victim or the time of death, except the fact that the number of fatalities has risen, as reported by KKTV.
CBS Colorado reported that the Colorado State Patrol said the accidents occurred as the winds blew the dust along the highway, creating ‘brownout’ conditions. As reported by CBS Colorado, troopers had near-blank visibility in the area as they responded to the accidents, with the blowing dust being the cause, as revealed in the initial reports under investigation.
Troopers said 36 vehicles were involved in accidents, with the accidents occurring in the northbound lanes, while the smaller accident occurred in the southbound lanes, with the damage being minimal.
Troopers said that the accident led to dozens of injuries.
KRDO reported, citing the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office, that the five people killed in the accidents were identified as David Kirscht and his son, Scott L. Kirscht, of Walsenburg; Mary Sue Thayer of Rye; Karen Ann Marsh of Pueblo; and Thomas Thayer of Rye. KRDO first published the identifications after the coroner’s update.
Interstate 25 has reopened in both directions after being closed for several hours, the outlet reported.
In addition, south of Pueblo, Interstate 25 was experiencing strong gusts and blowing dust, and the Colorado Department of Transportation issued alerts to motorists about increasing conditions and being ready for swift changes, KRDO reported.
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