JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — One person was killed and three others were injured in a crash involving a wrong-way driver on Highway 285 Monday morning.
The crash happened before 6 a.m. on Highway 285 near Highway 8 in Jefferson County.
Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer told Denver7 the driver of an Acura RL was driving southbound on northbound Highway 285 when it hit a Cadillac CTS, causing the Cadillac to spin out of control and hit a Chevrolet Colorado.
The driver of the Cadillac — a 59-year-old man — was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The passenger in the Cadillac — a 64-year-old woman —was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to CSP.
The driver of the Acura RL — a 33-year-old man — was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
The driver of the Chevrolet — a 51-year-old man — was taken to the hospital for "precautionary minor injuries."
Denver7 Traffic
1 dies in 3-vehicle crash Monday, closes US 285 at Highway 8 for 6 hours
The deadly crash shut down the highway for six hours.
"Any type of crash that is involved in a wrong-way driving can be a very scary experience for the motoring public because they are seeing that vehicle coming at them from a lane that they know that they're supposed to be in, where this other vehicle is not," said Trooper Moltrer.
Monday morning's wrong-way crash marks the fourth since the beginning of June.
On June 8, one person was killed and four others were injured in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 25, according to police.
On June 14, Adams County officials said one person was killed in a head-on crash that involved a truck driving in the wrong direction on Interstate 76.
Another wrong-way crash was reported on Highway 285 on June 22.
Moltrer said law enforcement officers do what they can to prevent these kinds of crashes.
"Once you do see that, that is something that is scary. And being involved in a crash such as that, mostly they do result in head-on collisions because of the way that they're traveling," the trooper said. "Make sure if you do see a vehicle getting on the wrong side of the interstate, off the wrong exit, or just making those wrong entry points, to call us or local law enforcement immediately. That way we could try to get somebody out there to that area and get them stopped."
Denver7 reached out to multiple staff members with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) regarding wrong-way signage and detection systems, inquiring more about where they are located, how they work, and if there are any plans in the works to expand. No one responded to Denver7's inquiry as of the publication of this story.
Those who live and commute on Highway 285 told Denver7 that an expansion of wrong-way signage or detection systems is something worth considering for the particular stretch of road.
"You take a driver's test and you get your driver's license, and you should be going the right way on the right side of the road. Whether you need additional signage, that's up to the powers that be," said Paul Stuart, who's lived in Conifer for nearly 30 years. "We're out in the country. We're trying to keep aware of things and keep it safe for everybody. So reduce the speed, I don't know, keep in line with everybody. Just keep it moving."
The investigation into Monday's wrong-way crash continues. CSP is asking anyone who may have seen the Acura IRL driver or the crash to give investigators a call at (303) 239-4501.
