An entire family from Kremmling was killed in a fiery head-on collision this week.
Grand County authorities confirm two adults, Manuel Cabral-Torres and Andrea Banuelos-Salazar, were riding with three young children in a GMC Yukon the morning of Aug. 4 when a pickup truck smashed into them head-on. Both vehicles burst into flames.
The children, ages 2, 5 and 12, died on scene with their parents, ages 30 and 34.
“The impact of the collision caused both vehicles to become completely engulfed in flames,” Grand County coroner Tawnya Bailey writes in a statement. “First responders arrived quickly but despite heroic efforts, the family did not survive.”
The lone survivor, a 25-year-old Front Range man driving the pickup, was airlifted with critical injuries. His condition today is unknown. No criminal charges are filed as of early today.
Colorado State Patrol believes the pickup was likely passing on the two-lane highway. Early investigation shows the survivor was driving in the wrong lane, heading into Kremmling, when he smashed into the family leaving Kremmling.
This is the latest in a grisly new trend. State patrol reports a 20% spike in wrong-way collisions last year with 116 crashes statewide. Colorado is on pace to possibly meet that grim new benchmark with 58 crashes this year.