One killed, two injured in two Oct. 8 wrecks

Photo courtesy of Diantha Nipple Two potato trucks collided at the intersection of Highway 112 and County Road 52 in Saguache County about 7:45 a.m. Friday, sending both drivers to the hospital.

SAGUACHE — An intersection collision between two potato trucks early Friday morning, Oct. 8 sent both drivers to Rio Grande Hospital with serious and minor injuries respectively.

The Colorado State Patrol reported that an empty 2003 Peterbilt potato truck was southbound on County Road 52 and failed to yield right of way to a loaded 1983 Ford potato truck that was westbound on Highway 112 when the accident occurred. The driver of the Peterbilt suffered serious injuries while the other driver had minor injuries.

Both trucks traveled off the southside of Highway 112 into the ditch with the Peterbilt rolling onto its passenger side and the Ford remaining on its wheels. A 2005 Jeep Liberty was eastbound on Highway 112 and was struck by the Peterbilt as it was traveling off the roadway. The driver was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation. The highway was closed for several hours while the scene was cleared.

In a separate incident later that morning, an 82-year-old female driver was killed in a one-car rollover on U.S. 285 near County Road AA in Saguache County.

The CSP investigation found that the 2008 Subaru Outback was southbound on Hwy. 285 when the vehicle initially traveled off the right side of the road and after overcorrecting twice, the vehicle became broadside and rolled four times.

The drive was wearing a seatbelt but was pronounced dead on scene. The crash is still under investigation and the identity of the driver was not given pending notification of next of kin.

The highway was closed for approximately two hours, according to CSP.