A Mack truck collided with two vehicles today, shutting down Highway 85 near Town Center Drive for several hours, authorities said.
The driver of the truck was unhurt, but three people in the other vehicles were seriously injured and taken to local hospitals, the Colorado State Patrol reported.
The driver of the truck, 45-year-old Lazaro Saenz-Aguirre of Denver, apparently ran a red light and smashed into a Chevy Blazer and an Audi before striking a traffic signal pole, said Trooper Ryan Sullivan.
Saenz-Aguirre faces charges of careless driving. Alcohol or drugs are not suspected in the crash.
The collision knocked down the pole and multiple traffic lights. The Colorado Department of Transportation was cleaning up the mess Monday afternoon.
“It could be three or four days before they have everything back to normal,” Sullivan said.
The driver of the Chevy has been identifed as 34-year-old Michelle Walker. The driver and passenger of the Audi were respectively identified as Wendy Ballew, 48, and Jamon Ballew, 17. All three are from Highlands Ranch.
The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, Sullivan said.
Staff writer Vimal Patel can be reached at 303-954-1638 or at vpatel@denverpost.com.
