A truck driver faces several felony charges following a deadly crash in June on northbound Interstate 25 in Weld County, the Weld County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.
The crash occurred around 1:30 p.m. on June 13 at mile marker 243 and involved four vehicles, including a Kenworth semi-truck. Five people in a 2015 Ford Edge were killed, and the driver of another vehicle suffered minor injuries, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
Troopers said the 26-year-old driver of the semi-truck, later identified as Jesus Puebla, rear-ended the Ford Edge after the SUV slowed for northbound traffic up ahead. The collision set off a series of other crashes involving two other vehicles.
It is believed the Kenworth struck the Ford Edge a second time before the semi-truck hit the cable rail in the median, coming to a stop.
All five victims in the Ford Edge were family members from Gillette, Wyoming, and include:
• Aaron Godines, 20, who was the driver
• Halie Everts, 20
• Christina Godines, 47
• Tessleigh Godines, 3 months
• Emiliano Godines, 51
Puebla was not injured injured in the crash.
Court documents state the semi-truck was traveling at 76 mph at the time of the crash, while the Ford Edge was traveling at roughly 6 mph.
Puebla was charged Wednesday with five counts of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, careless driving, reckless driving, driving without a commercial driver's license and a commercial vehicle safety violation. He was arrested Thursday.
A court date has not been set as of publication.
