HESPERUS, Colo. -- Three teenagers were killed and another juvenile was hospitalized with serious injuries after a two-vehicle crash south of Hesperus over the weekend.
It happened about 11:45 p.m., Saturday, when a pickup struck a sport utility vehicle parked in a private driveway near U.S. Highway 140, west of Durango.
The Colorado State Patrol said 18-year-old Larry Michael Romero and the three juveniles were in an Isuzu Trooper when a Ford F-350 when off the right side of the highway, into a ditch and up a hill before hitting the Trooper from behind.
All four occupants were thrown from the Isuzu, and investigators said three died at the accident location.
Romero, a 16-year-old girl from Bayfield and a 13-year-old boy also from Bayfield were killed in the accident. An 11-year-old boy was transported by Careflight to Children's Hospital in Denver with serious injuries.
Matthew C. Goodson, 33, of Hesperus also was injured and was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center and then to Denver Health Medical Center with unknown injuries. Two other people were treated and released.
The names of the juveniles have not been released.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but the patrol said that alcohol and drugs are not considered factors.
A La Plata County sheriff's deputy was investigating the parked SUV at the time of the crash and just missed being hit by the skidding pick-up truck. The deputy was not identified.
It happened about 11:45 p.m., Saturday, when a pickup struck a sport utility vehicle parked in a private driveway near U.S. Highway 140, west of Durango.
The Colorado State Patrol said 18-year-old Larry Michael Romero and the three juveniles were in an Isuzu Trooper when a Ford F-350 when off the right side of the highway, into a ditch and up a hill before hitting the Trooper from behind.
All four occupants were thrown from the Isuzu, and investigators said three died at the accident location.
Romero, a 16-year-old girl from Bayfield and a 13-year-old boy also from Bayfield were killed in the accident. An 11-year-old boy was transported by Careflight to Children's Hospital in Denver with serious injuries.
Matthew C. Goodson, 33, of Hesperus also was injured and was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center and then to Denver Health Medical Center with unknown injuries. Two other people were treated and released.
The names of the juveniles have not been released.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but the patrol said that alcohol and drugs are not considered factors.
A La Plata County sheriff's deputy was investigating the parked SUV at the time of the crash and just missed being hit by the skidding pick-up truck. The deputy was not identified.
