The two motorists killed Tuesday morning in a Weld County accident have been identified as Bruce A. Patterson, 53, of Longmont and James R. Matthews, 52, of Buena Vista.
They died after a 2006 Honda CR-V driven by Nellie C. Townsend, 19, of Westminster slammed into the rear of Patterson’s Ford Escort in the eastbound lane of Colorado 66, about 2 miles east of Mead on Tuesday morning.
The impact pushed the Escort into the westbound lane of the highway, where it was hit head-on by Matthews, who was driving a Dodge Ram pickup.
Matthews’ pickup rolled, and he was thrown from the truck. Both Matthews and Patterson died at the scene.
Townsend suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.
Colorado State Trooper Gilbert Mares said that a total of five cars were at the intersection of Colorado 66 and County Road 17 when the accident occurred.
Mares said Townsend was eastbound and came upon three vehicles that had slowed at the intersection.
The first vehicle was about to turn onto County Road 17.
The last of the three vehicles that had slowed, Patterson’s Escort, was rammed by the Honda.
Mares said alcohol, drugs and speed are not factors in the accident. However, driver error is suspected.
Mares said there were no passengers in the Escort or Dodge.
Last week was a deadly one on Weld County highways, with four people killed in accidents. They included a motorcyclist on Interstate 25; a passenger in a stolen car that went out of control in Evans; and two sisters from Roggen who died in a wreck at the intersection of Weld County Road 49 and U.S. 34.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
