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BYERS, Arapahoe County, Colo., Oct. 15, 2026 — A 19-year-old man died, and an 18-year-old man was seriously hurt early on Wednesday morning, October 14, after their pickup truck crashed into a parked Colorado State Patrol car and a tractor-trailer on westbound I-70 near Byers.
The crash happened around 6:45 a.m. while a trooper was working an earlier single-vehicle crash involving a semitruck, the Colorado State Patrol said. The trooper's patrol car was partly blocking the left lane as tow crews pulled the semi out of the center median.
According to investigators, the 18-year-old driver of a Ford F-150 lost control, struck the patrol car, and sideswiped it before crossing into the median. The pickup then hit a guardrail and the rear driver's side of the semi, the agency reported.
The passenger, 19, suffered life-threatening injuries and died at a hospital, state patrol officials said. The driver was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The trooper reported no injuries but was taken to a hospital as a precaution.
The Arapahoe County Coroner's Office is expected to release the identity of the man who died. The state patrol's vehicular crimes unit is investigating the crash.
We extend our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.
A Common Misconception About Crashes Involving Parked Emergency Vehicles
Many drivers assume that a crash into a stopped patrol car or roadside emergency vehicle is a rare, freak occurrence, something that happens only when a driver is clearly impaired or reckless. The evidence on large-truck and highway crashes more broadly tells a different story: serious roadside collisions often involve ordinary driving errors, distraction, or simply misjudging a lane shift at highway speed, not just extreme behavior.
Scale matters here too. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,472 people were killed in traffic crashes involving large trucks in 2023. That figure includes crashes far beyond roadside incidents, but it shows how often trucks, patrol vehicles, and other large, slow-moving, or stopped equipment are present on the roads when something goes wrong.
The other misconception is that flashing lights and lane closures give other drivers enough warning to react safely. In practice, drivers approaching a work zone or incident scene at full highway speed often have only a few seconds to recognize a blocked lane and adjust, which is why so many of these crashes happen at the edge of a traffic stop or recovery scene rather than in the middle of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes truck crashes more dangerous than typical car crashes?
The size and weight difference between a semitruck and a passenger vehicle means more force is transferred to the smaller vehicle's occupants, and stopping distances for loaded trucks are much longer than for cars.
What are a truck's blind spots and why do they matter?
Large trucks have wide blind spots along both sides, directly behind the trailer, and close in front of the cab. Vehicles lingering in these areas may be invisible to the driver, contributing to lane-change and merge crashes.
What is an underride crash?
An underride crash occurs when a smaller vehicle slides partly or fully beneath a truck's trailer during a collision, often because the trailer sits higher off the ground than the car's hood or bumper.
What are common causes of large-truck crashes?
Investigators often point to driver fatigue, following too closely, speed relative to conditions, and roadside hazards such as disabled vehicles or active incident scenes.
What to Do After a Highway Crash in Byers, Colorado
If you're involved in or come upon a crash on a highway like I-70, move to the shoulder if your vehicle is drivable and turn on hazard lights. Call 911 right away and stay as far from moving traffic as safely possible while waiting for help.
Anyone involved in a crash, even one that seems minor at first, should get checked by a medical provider. Adrenaline can mask injuries from a collision for hours or longer.
Keep a copy of the police report and any medical records tied to the crash. If a state patrol or sheriff's investigation is ongoing, follow up with the agency for updates on findings and next steps.
