Two motorists were killed today on Colorado State Highway 66 after an eastbound car driven by a 19-year-old woman allegedly slammed into the rear of a second eastbound car pushing it into the path of a westbound pickup.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Colorado Highway 66 and Weld County Road 17, according to Colorado State Trooper Gilbert Mares.
Mares said the 19-year-old driver of a 2006 Honda CVR, identified as Nellie Townsend, of Westminster, was eastbound and came upon three vehicles which had slowed at the intersection.
The first vehicle was about to turn onto County Road 17.
The last of the three vehicles which had slowed, a Red Ford Escort, was rammed by the Honda, and pushed into the westbound lanes of Colorado 66, and into the path of an westbound 2002 Dodge pickup.
He said that the 53-year-old driver of the Escort, a resident of Longmont, was killed instantly as was the 52-year-old man driving the Dodge pickup.
Townsend, the driver of the Honda, suffered moderate injuries.
She was taken by ambulance to the Northern Colorado Medical Center, said Mares.
Mares said alcohol, drugs and speed are not factors in the accident. However, driver error is suspected. He said authorities have not yet questioned Townsend, but charges are pending.
Mares said there were no passengers in either the Escort or Dodge.
The accident occurred two miles east of Mead and occurred at 9:18 a.m.
Last week was a deadly week on highways in Weld County with four people dying.
These included a motorcycle rider on Interstate 25, the passenger in stolen car which went out of control in Evans, and two sisters from Roggen killed at the intersection of Weld County Road 49 and U.S. 34.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
