Sun glare blamed for deadly crash, CSP reports

In Huerfano County, Colorado, the Colorado State Patrol responded to two accidents on Interstate 25 southbound at mile marker 40 early Friday morning. Tragically, one person lost their life as a result. The crashes were attributed to reduced visibility caused by sun glare. The first collision involved a semi-truck being rear-ended by a box truck, leaving the box truck driver with moderate injuries and requiring airlifting to a local hospital. Subsequently, traffic slowing down in the area led to a second crash involving a Ford F250, a Hyundai Elantra, and a Hyundai Sonata. The 46-year-old male driver of the Ford was fatally injured after rear-ending the Elantra, causing the F250 to overturn and hit the Sonata. The Elantra driver then crossed the median and stopped on the shoulder of the northbound lanes. Emergency services transported the Elantra driver to a local hospital with unknown injuries, while the Sonata driver escaped unharmed. Following the incidents, the southbound lanes of Interstate 25 were sealed off for a few hours to allow for cleanup and investigation by the Colorado State Patrol's Vehicular Crimes Unit. Northbound lanes were reopened at 9:12 a.m., while southbound lanes remain inaccessible, with traffic being detoured at exit 41, Rugby Road. Closure of southbound Interstate 25 is expected to continue for a considerable period as cleanup operations persist, as per CSP's announcement. This report was collated by reporters from WesternSlopeNow.com, utilizing artificial intelligence tools to transform the data into a news article for its website. The report was reviewed and verified by WesternSlopeNow.com staff prior to publication.