A 36-year-old Lakewood man was killed and three teens and a woman were injured on their way to a high school band competition when the pickup they were in slid into the path of a semi tractor-trailer on Interstate 25, officials say.
Andy Padilla was killed in the 6:22 a.m. accident on Interstate 25 in Weld County while driving three members of the Alameda High School Percussion Ensemble to the competition, said Gilbert Mares, spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol
Jaqueline Alba-Torres, 15, of Lakewood, who had serious injuries, was taken by helicopter to a local hospital, Mares said. Christina Lucero, 36, her son, Jason Lucero, 16, and Douglas Ruiz, 16, all of Lakewood, were taken by ambulance to a local hospital and treated for minor to moderate injuries, he said.
“It’s obviously a very sad day for our department,” said Terry Hills, a music teacher at Alameda High School. “We’re very glad more children were not seriously hurt in the accident.”
Hills, who was reached by cellular phone while at the competition in Fort Collins, said one band member will remain at a hospital for observation over night and two were released.
“The kids are doing really well,” he said.
Hills said the remaining band members competed Saturday and will perform again on Sunday.
The accident happened when the maroon 2000 Dodge pickup – which was towing a trailer – began to slide on the icy highway following an overnight snowstorm, Mares said.
The pickup was in the right lane, and when the driver lost control, the pickup and trailer jackknifed in the middle of the highway and a semi tractor-trailer traveling in the left lane collided into the side of the pickup, he said.
Both vehicles skidded off the left side of the highway and the semi landed on top of the pickup, which rolled onto its top, Mares said. The semi driver was not injured.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
