Horrible crash in Lakewood CO, I70 closed both directions. 12 vehicles 4 semi huge fire

Is there a link to the video?

 

I cannot imagine doing this job at 23 and I am 46 now. Best thing I did was spend 2 years running out of Denver.

I dont understand the fixation over the nationality of this unfortunate young man. He has a green card and was trying to make an honest living. He majorly f'ed up and will do time for this. Unlikely his family will have enough to make bail so pretty stupid to mention he is a flight risk.

 

Here's a short clip of it from a news story. I don't think a longer version is released anywhere. The Lookout Mountain material starts about 1:22.

I'm sticking with *didn't gear down* when he was supposed to. I don't see smoke coming off those wheels in this clip, but he's clearly losing the battle. Why he blew past the sand trap baffles me. It was wide open for him.

 

by all forms i mean local, OTR, construction driving, milk hauling.... you name it. i do fairly well on my route, but there are plenty of loads i would turn down. there's a load that pays 50 bucks for 2.5-3 hours of time, 16 mile round trip..... i think its fair and reasonable

yet we have loads that are 74 mile round trip to sorrento in south buffalo. it takes minimum 5 hours. minimum wage is 11.10 in ny. i was asked yesterday if i wanted one of those loads..... exhaust all other options i said. i was not interested in low pay B.S.

 

A young driver on a mountain he couldn't handle. Bloody shame.

 

Video shows a semitrailer out of control in mountains ahead of fiery I-70 crash

 

I completely agree with your hypothesis.

That last downhill as you approach Denver is a significant hill. To top it off you have urban traffic choking it down to a crawl. You HAVE to heed the signs and keep it geared down.

Patience is a virtue. We need more virtuous truckers.

Regarding the OP question regarding why the driver is being charged with vehicular manslaughter...

...wait for it...

...it's because he WAS a professional driver and SHOULD have known better. Every one of us that have a CDL had drilled into our skulls the importance of coming down a hill in control. 80+ mph down a 6% grade isn't "in control".

That driver was young, therefore inexperienced, and obviously either not trained, trained improperly, or too stupid to have been trained.

Could it be that his brakes "failed"? Sure. But IMHO that's just about the last thing that I think contributed to this wreckage. That driver could have safely descended the hill if he had the right gear.

 

Lots of speculation here, so let me help.

There was a total of 28 vehicles, 24 passenger vehicles, 4 semi's
4 fatalities
12 taken to area hospitals, all were released by Midnight except one who will go home tomorrow
The truck that caused the wreck was loaded with lumber
The Simmons truck on the shoulder had stopped for smoking brakes, other vehicles were shoved into him
Traffic was stopped/slowed because there was another accident 5 miles ahead, semi vs school bus

The driver is legal, has a green card, and is legal in Texas, he's from Cuba.

I 70 WB reopened about 2 pm today, they hope to get I-70 EB open around Noon on Sat.

This is the 5th large wreck on I 70 in that general area in 4 years, and all 5 were caused by speeding semi's.

I would expect to start seeing a massive enforcement on I 70 EB coming down the mountain in the near future.

 

That’s way too young to drive a truck