Garfield County Pursuit and 2X fatal, as paged

[jimmnn]

DATE: 3-28-09
TIME: 5:16 A.M.
LOCATION: Highway 82 at milepost 4.0.- Garfield County. ( Approximately 4 miles south of Glenwood Springs, CO. )

On 3-28-09 at approximately 12:29 A.M. A Colorado Trooper observed a black/ gold Ford Pickup truck weaving on the roadway. The vehicle was stopped and the male driver was contacted. During the traffic stop the driver and vehicle fled and was pursued by the Trooper. During the course of the pursuit, the driver of the Ford pick-up truck attempted to cause harm to the Trooper, and attempted to cause the officer to crash by intentionally ramming the patrol car. However during the sequence of the event the pick-up truck lost control and went off the roadway into the center median and rolled several times ejecting the unrestrained driver and an unrestrained female passenger.
The female passenger sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene by the Garfield County Coroner. The male driver sustained serious injuries and was transported to the Valley View Hospital of Glenwood Springs, CO. The male driver was later pronounced dead by an attending medical physician.
The Trooper did not sustain any injuries.

Alcohol, speed and failure to yield to authorities, are suspected as contributing factors involving this incident.
The name of the deceased driver, the deceased passenger and the name of the Trooper are all being with held at this time

More information will be released as it becomes available.

 

[jimmnn]

From CSP:

UPDATE*** Pursuit - Fatal Crash - Garfield County, CO ***
.
On 3-28-09 at approximately 12:29 AM a Colorado State Trooper witnessed a vehicle weaving on Colorado 82 near milepost 10 in Garfield County.

A black Ford pickup truck with Wisconsin plates was traveling westbound on CO 82 near milepost 10. The trooper observed the Ford weaving across the centerline of the road and across the fog line of the shoulder. The trooper initiated contact at milepost 10, but the Ford failed to yield until milepost 9.

The trooper approached the vehicle and made contact with the male operator of the vehicle. There was a female passenger in the Ford as well. During the course of the contact, the trooper suspected the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The trooper returned to her patrol car to clear the suspect when another trooper arrived on scene.

As the initiating trooper was approaching the vehicle a second time, the driver of the Ford fled the scene. This occurred at approximately 12:37 AM. The troopers initiated a pursuit of the Ford which lasted approximately 5 minutes.

During the course of the pursuit, near milepost 4 of CO 82, the driver of the Ford deliberately attempted to force a patrol car off the left side of the roadway into the median. Speeds at this time were near 60 MPH. During the course of this maneuver, the suspect lost control of the Ford spinning sideways before rolling. This event occurred at approximately 12:42 AM.

During the roll, the male and female occupants, who were unrestrained, were ejected from the vehicle.

The unrestrained male driver has been identified as Jonathan P. Holum, 29 of Eau Claire, WI. Holum was transported to Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs where he was pronounced dead at 2:11 AM.

The unrestrained female passenger has been identified as Cora Weil, 23 of Eau Claire, WI. Weil sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road conditions at the time of the pursuit were clear and the traffic volume light-to-non existent. Speed of 90 MPH were reached during the course of the pursuit. The initiating trooper is a P.O.S.T. certified driving instructor and a supervisor with the Colorado State Patrol. Colorado 82 is a divided state highway with a median separation.

The names of troopers involved are being withheld a this time. Next of kin HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.