A tragic series of accidents in a Wyoming highway tunnel resulted in three deaths on February 14. The crashes, which involved multiple vehicles, began when a pickup truck lost control on a slick road, blocking traffic.
The incident occurred on Interstate 80, near Green River, Wyoming, after a snowfall left the highway wet and possibly icy. According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a westbound Toyota pickup truck spun out of control after exiting the tunnel. It hit a guardrail and came to a stop, blocking the right lane and part of the left lane.
As other vehicles tried to avoid the stranded Toyota, chaos ensued. A tractor-trailer jackknifed about 200 feet before the tunnel exit, completely blocking both lanes. A Dodge pickup then collided with this jackknifed truck, followed by another tractor-trailer that crashed into the Dodge. This second truck became entangled with the Dodge before hitting the Toyota and another vehicle outside the tunnel.
Inside the tunnel, several more vehicles collided, leading to a post-crash fire. The NTSB reported that two occupants of the Dodge pickup died at the scene. Tragically, the driver of one of the tractor-trailers was trapped in his vehicle and perished in the fire.
In total, twenty other individuals suffered injuries of varying severity. The crash took place in the westbound tube of the twin tunnel under Castle Rock, a prominent sandstone formation in the area.
This incident highlights the dangers of driving in winter conditions, especially on busy highways. Authorities continue to investigate the crashes to better understand how such a devastating chain reaction occurred.