I-70 Fully Reopens After Fiery Crash That Killed 4
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)– Interstate 70 is back open in both directions following an extended closure near the Colorado Mills shopping mall in Jefferson County. Four people were killed on Thursday afternoon and 10 others injured in a fiery crash that happened after a semi truck driver lost control on the interstate.
Officials have arrested driver Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23, on vehicular homicide charges. The Lakewood police department says no alcohol or drugs were involved, but Aguilera-Mederos had no control over his truck.
"Where he lost control still part of investigation. We have witnesses we want to interview to get time frame where this all took place," said Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman.
The investigation has determined the driver had a commercial driver's license from Texas.
CNN reported that the brother of the truck driver said he was told by his brother after the crash that his brakes had failed.
Legal analyst Raj Chohan told CBS4, "It may provide some defense, or perhaps even a complete defense if the brakes were maintained properly but failed through no fault of the driver. On the other hand, if the brakes were not maintained properly, the driver or the company may be held to blame."
Westbound lanes of I-70 reopened at 2 p.m. Friday. The eastbound lanes opened at approximately 8:15 p.m. The Colorado Department of Transportation said the closure lasted so long because they had to do some major repairs to the roadway, which literally melted under the extreme fire.
"We have 2 to 4 inches of pavement that we have to remove," CDOT chief engineer Joshua Laipply said on Friday.
The victims killed in the crash have not been identified.
