COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — One person is in critical condition after two crashes closed Interstate 76 for hours early Monday morning.
At about 4:23 a.m. Monday, troopers with Colorado State Patrol (CSP) responded to a crash on I-76 just east of 88th Avenue.
CSP said that preliminary reports indicate that a 2015 gray Subaru was traveling eastbound in the middle lane when it approached a semi-trailer ahead of it, prompting the driver to brake suddenly. A 2020 Volvo semi hauling a trailer was following behind the Subaru.
As the Subaru stopped to avoid the semi in front of them, the driver overcorrected to the left, striking the Volvo semi in the middle lane, according to a media release from CSP. The Subaru then traveled into the center median and collided head-on with a concrete barrier, CSP said.
After the initial impact, the vehicle spun out and collided again with the Volvo semi traveling behind it. The Subaru came to rest in the middle lane, facing westbound, CSP said.
Following the crash, other vehicles sideswiped the Subaru, according to CSP. The 31-year-old man who was driving the Subaru then exited the vehicle and left the roadway on foot. He was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, and cited for careless driving causing serious bodily injury, according to CSP.
Then after the initial crash, second one happened, CSP said. The investigation showed the Subaru that was left in the middle lane of I-76 facing westbound had no visible lights. A 2012 black Hyundai Elantra that was traveling eastbound in the middle lane collided into the unoccupied Subaru, CSP said.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 66-year-old woman, was also taken to the hospital and is in critical condition, CSP said.
The highway was closed for about 3 hours Monday morning.