At least 13 people traveling on Interstate 70 near Limon called Lincoln County 911 dispatchers on Dec. 26 warning that a semi was headed west in the eastbound lanes of the interstate near Limon.
But police and state troopers were unable to divert traffic from the highway or get the tractor-trailer to stop in the nine minutes between the first call and when it slammed into a car, killing a man and injuring his wife.
The first call received by dispatchers in Lincoln County came at 7:58 p.m.
“I just want to tell you there is a semi truck going west in the eastbound lanes,” says the motorist.
The caller also relates that the semi’s lights are off. The dispatcher promises, “I will get somebody notified.”
At this point, as a second call comes in, the dispatcher can be heard talking to a Limon police officer — “Limon 5” — and telling the officer that the semi is near mile marker 356 or 357.
Later, a motorist calls from 8 miles west of Limon and reports the wrong-way semi, saying the truck only has its “clearance lights on.”
The dispatcher says, “We’ve got multiple calls. We do have an officer at that location to get this taken care of.”
That Limon police officer frantically pursued the Freightliner, which was being driven by Jason Ross, 33, of St. Louis for USA Truck Inc. The officer first drove in the westbound lanes of the interstate and then cut into the median next to the eastbound lanes with lights flashing and sirens blaring — but Ross ignored him, police said.
Sgt. John Hahn, a spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, said one trooper was racing there from Deer Trail and another from near Limon. They were hoping to force the truck to pull over or warn oncoming traffic, but both started from so far away that they were unable to make it in time.
The semi smashed nearly head-on into a 1993 Buick Park Avenue being driven by Martin Hernandez, 71, of Lamar. He was killed. His wife, Maria “Angie” Hernandez, 77, suffered serious injuries. Their 9-year-old granddaughter, Audianna Hernandez, escaped injury.
Martin Hernandez worked at Lamar High School for decades as a janitor before retiring, a neighbor said.
Ross was jailed for investigation of vehicular homicide, DUI, failing to use headlights, driving on the wrong side of the interstate and other charges. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
