Pine Junction fatal, as paged

[jimmnn]

PINE JUNCTION, Colo. -- One person was killed after an SUV carrying seven minors went into Elk Creek after it rolled over, the Colorado State Patrol said.

The crash happened Friday just before 2:30 p.m. in the 16000 block of South Elk Creek Road about seven miles south of Pine Junction, Trooper Gilbert Mares said.

Mares said it is unknown if the minor who was killed was the driver of the red Jeep Grand Cherokee or a passenger.

One teen was flown to St. Anthony Central Hospital. Three others were taken to Swedish. Their conditions are not known at this time.

Two others were treated at the scene. Pine Junction is located between Conifer and Bailey.

A state trooper said no one was wearing seat belt at the time of the crash, and no one was ejected from the Jeep. They said the Jeep was going uphill when it went off the road and rolled down a 20-foot embankment.

 

[radiowatcher_06]

It’s almost amazing that more people don’t loose their lives on CO 126/67 and Hwy 285 for that matter. Every time I drive 126 there's always some jack a** right there riding your butt passing you on a double yellow around a blind turn.

Almost every accident is avoidable with a little common sense.

"I survived 285"

 

[jimmnn]

It’s almost amazing that more people don’t loose their lives on CO 126/67 and Hwy 285 for that matter. Every time I drive 126 there's always some jack a** right there riding your butt passing you on a double yellow around a blind turn.

Almost every accident is avoidable with a little common sense.

"I survived 285"

Yet along 7 kids probably just out of high school out to test the limits of the road and of the vehicle.

Not forgetting the seat belts are option attitude at that age as well. "A state trooper said no one was wearing seat belt at the time of the crash"

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

Now KUSA is reporting a double fatal also, a 2nd teenager (under 18) has died from his injuries.

Jim<

 

[radiowatcher_06]

Thats tragic, I heard from a friend that they were Conifer High students that skipped out a little early to have some "fun". I dont know how creditable the info was though.

Kids will be kids, lost a few friends up there when I was in school.

 

[jimmnn]

CONIFER, Colo. -- Two Conifer High School sophomores were identified Saturday as the victims of a one-car accident in rural Jefferson County that injured several other teenagers.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, the mishap happened Friday afternoon when a Jeep Grand Cherokee, packed with seven teens, rolled off South Elk Creek Road near Pine Grove and landed upside-down in the creek.

The two teens who died were identified as Justin Dorrance and Clyde " Rusty" Gallegos II, both 16. Dorrance is from Evergreen and Gallegos is from Pine.

Colorado State Patrol investigators said Dorrance was driving the Jeep at slow rate of speed on South Elk Creek Road when the mishap occurred just after 2 p.m. Friday. The area where the accident happened is a steep, windy section where Elk Creek runs beside the dirt road.

"They all said it was a low-speed accident and that (the driver) may have gotten too close to the edge of the road and dirt gave way and it just rolled into the creek," said Trooper R.E. Madden at the accident scene.

Dorrance was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Gallegos was airlifted to St. Anthony Central and died a few hours later.

Four other passengers were taken to Swedish Medical Center They were idenfied as Shane Mathre, 16 of Conifer, Patrick McIntyre, 16 of Conifer, John Frost, 17 of Littleton and Matthew McGann, 15 of Conifer.

They were treated and released.

Reece Stapish, 16 of Conifer, was not injured in the crash.

Troopers said four of the teens were able to get out of the red Jeep Grand Cherokee on their own, but others had to be rescued by good Samaritans. Dorrance was trapped in the upside-down vehicle for a time.

A state trooper investigating the accident said it appeared that no one was wearing seat belts at the time of the mishap, but that no one was ejected from the Jeep when it slowly rolled down the embankment. The investigation to the accident was continuing Saturday.

The swift-moving creek was swollen from recent snowmelt.

In Conifer, Saturday, family and friends of Justin Dorrance gathered at Our Lady of The Pines Catholic Church, where he went through confirmation last week.

"This tragedy is just still so fresh," said one woman who identified herself as the youth minister. "We need time to mourn in private."

But community members say the accident has a huge impact on the commmunity.

"My son's in middle school, so every time I hear one of these stories that has to do with the high school kids, it strikes fear in my heart," said Jeri Holland, a Pine Junction resident.

Eugene Dorrance, Justin's father, said he does not believe his son was on drugs, and he's waiting for the autopsy result.

He remembers Justin as a "great kid", who loved baseball and touched many lives.

 

[jimmnn]

2020hrs Sunday

Jeffco: US-285 & South Elk Creek Road Another Jeep over the edge 150 feet into Elk Creek, CSP 6-A-2 advising one occupant is SBI the other minor injs. Req Long Brothers with a large wrecker ASAP.

O/F 155.220, DTRS, Online

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

Jeffco U/D: Req permission for dive team and Long brothers to hook up Jeep to prevent it from being pushed further down the river, CSP Corporal and Sgt now enroute, 1 amb meeting with Evergreen ALS and 2nd pt will be flown.

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

Pretty fast KDVR was already live on scene leading there 9pm newscast, they are certainly the new breaking news leader locally.

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

Jeffco U/D: Driver enroute Swedish via Evergreen Amb, Pass a 35 y/o male awake, alert complaining of no injs enroute SAC via L/G 1.

Jim<

 

[Moosemedic]

Tell me I read that wrong

Did I read that correctly... the seriously injured is enroute by ground and the passenger without complaints is airborne?

 

[jimmnn]

Did I read that correctly... the seriously injured is enroute by ground and the passenger without complaints is airborne?

They actually both had minor injs, the type that leave the hospital before you can even get your report written.

Jim<

 

[radiowatcher_06]

Yup, I know there was a chopper on stand-by, however it sounded as if the patient was transported via ambulance (Evergreen). That gentleman spent a lot of time just waiting to get transported.

 

[jimmnn]

Yup, I know there was a chopper on stand-by, however it sounded as if the patient was transported via ambulance (Evergreen). That gentleman spent a lot of time just waiting to get transported.

L.G 1 took the passenger to SAC and Evergreen Amb took the driver to Swedish, for his blood draw that is.

Jim<