An on-duty Las Animas County sheriff’s deputy was killed Tuesday after veering across traffic and striking a parked vehicle in the southern Colorado town of Trinidad.
Travis Russell, 44, was not responding to a call for service at the time of the wreck, authorities say.
The crash happened about 11:30 a.m. near the intersection of Stonewall Avenue and Prospect Street when Russell drove across opposing traffic and struck a parked, unoccupied SUV, investigators say.
The Colorado State Patrol says Russell’s vehicle rolled onto its passenger side before coming to a rest.
Russell was taken to Mount San Rafael Hospital, where he died.
Russell was in a 2009 Ford Expedition owned by the sheriff’s office. He was wearing a seatbelt, the State Patrol says.
“The cause of death of the deputy will be determined by the Las Animas County Coroner,” the State Patrol said in a news release.
The crash remains under investigation.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
