Police Say Victim Of I-70 Crash Has Died, Other Driver Was Reaching For Cheetos
DENVER (CBS4) - Police say a pickup driver who was involved in an accident on westbound Interstate 70 at Airport Boulevard last month has died from his injuries, and police say it's a result of distracted driving.
According to Sgt. Mark Elliot with Aurora police, a semi-truck traveling westbound failed to recognize traffic congestion and rear-ended a pickup truck on March 24.
"The impact was great enough to force the pickup truck into the back of another semi-trailer which was in front of it," Elliot said in a statement.
The driver of the pickup, identified as Richard Wadsworth, 60, sustained critical injuries and had been in the hospital. Police on Friday said Wadsworth has died.
RELATED: Sheriff Says Careless Driving Caused Serious Crash In Douglas County | CDOT Wants Drivers To 'Drop The Distraction' For Distracted Driving Awareness Month
According to Michael McClelland with Aurora police, investigators believe the driver of the semi, identified as John Smith, 43, got distracted.
"Our investigation revealed that the driver in the semi-truck … stated to the on-scene traffic detective that he was driving, reached down for a bag of Cheetos on the floorboard, taking his eyes off the roadway briefly," McClelland said in a statement.
Charges against Smith are pending.
Additional Information From The Colorado Department Of Transportation
The National Safety Council (NSC) recommends drivers taking action to combat distracted driving:
• Stop using cell phones while driving
• Recognize that hands-free devices offer little safety benefit
• Understand the dangers of the cognitive distraction to the brain
• Tell others about the dangers of distracted driving
For more information about the distracted driving campaign, including additional facts and the recent AAA Foundation report, visit www.codot.gov/programs/distracteddriving.
