This morning’s snowy, wind-blown commute included at least one fatal traffic accident that was related to inclement weather and unsafe driving speeds.
Viktor Boci, 50, of Loveland died at about 5:40 a.m. in a Weld County crash on U.S. 34 west of County Road 17, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
The crash was caused by excessive speed on roads that were snowy and ice packed, said Trooper Ryan Sullivan, a State Patrol spokesman.
Boci was driving a Subaru east on U.S. 34 when it ran off the left side of the road, went through the median and into oncoming lanes, Sullivan said. The Subaru collided head on with a Honda.
Boci, who died at the scene, was not wearing a seat belt.
The driver of the Honda, Lorie Wurl, 35, of Greeley, was taken by ambulance to the North Colorado Medical Center with “moderate” injuries. She was wearing a seat belt, the State Patrol said.
Details on her injuries were not available.
An early morning, heavy snow, blew through the Denver area starting before 5 a.m., doubling or tripling commuting times for many drivers.
The foothills west of Denver received some of the heaviest snow in the metro area, including 8 inches in Genesee, said Kyle Fredin, a meteorologist and spokesman with the National Weather Service.
Other metro snow totals include 6 inches in Boulder and 3 inches in Longmont.
CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said road crews were called in at 4:30 a.m. and that plows were on metro highways by 5 a.m.
“This storm was fast and furious, and blowing snow was a problem,” she said in a statement.
A winter-weather advisory is in effect for the northern mountains until 5 p.m., with 2 to 5 inches of snow expected and winds gusting up to 55 mph. Visibility and driving conditions will be poor on the high mountain passes.
Snow was expected to diminish by midday, except over the Palmer Divide.
A high-wind warning was in effect from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the northeast plains of Colorado. Gusts of 55 to 60 mph were blowing mainly east of Fort Morgan.
Tuesday’s Denver forecast is mostly sunny, with highs in the upper 40s.
The weather service is calling for mostly clear weather, with highs in the 40s for Denver for the rest of the week.
Staff writer Demetria Gallegos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
