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Head-On Vehicle Crashes Claim Two Lives

Marci Krivonen

Colorado State Patrol responded to two fatal accidents in our region Saturday. The first happened near Emma, on Highway 82. A 53-year-old Aspen man was killed just before 5pm in the westbound lanes. His name has not yet been released.

The crash is under investigation, but preliminary findings suggest 88-year-old John Walls of Carbondale was driving his white Ford Focus eastbound in the westbound lanes. Walls' Ford struck a westbound Ducati motorcycle head-on in the left lane of westbound Highway 82. The motorcycle driver was pronounced dead on the scene. Walls was transported to Valley View Hospital with minor injuries. He was then arrested for Careless Driving Caused Death with additional charges pending. He was booked into the Pitkin County Jail.

Westbound 82 was closed for about four hours for the investigation. Westbound traffic was diverted around the scene via Two Rivers Road.

Fatal Crash on Highway 133

Later in the night Saturday, State Patrol responded to a second fatal crash on McClure Pass, north of Redstone. A 21-year-old Illinois woman died in the two-vehicle head-on crash. The names of all involved are being held pending notification of their families.

The details of the crash are still under investigation, but evidence suggests that at approximately 9 p.m. Saturday, a 2010 Honda hatchback was traveling northbound on Highway 133 and crossed into the southbound lane. The Honda then struck a 1998 Chevy Cavalier head-on in the southbound lane near milepost 56.

The driver of the Chevy was pronounced dead on scene. A male passenger from the Chevy and the driver of the Honda – a 46-year-old Basalt woman – were transported to Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs with serious injuries.

Neither alcohol nor drugs are being considered contributing factors in the crash at this time. The road was dry and the weather was clear at the time of the crash.

Highway 133 was closed for approximately two hours for the investigation.