The following is a news release from the Colorado State Patrol
DOUGLAS COUNTY – A Colorado State Patrol vehicle sustained minor damage when the trooper managed to stop a vehicle driving the wrong way on C470 before anyone was injured. The driver was taken into custody for driving under the influence.
A 2019 Nissan SUV was called in by multiple parties for driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of C470, just west of Interstate 25, at approximately 9:00 PM August 30. Within three minutes, a trooper with the Colorado State Patrol was able to locate the vehicle and narrowly missed being hit by it head on. The trooper was able to get the SUV stopped on a shoulder, when the vehicle backed into the patrol car. Nobody was injured but both vehicles sustained minor damage.
The driver of the SUV, a 22-year-old female from Denver, was contacted and shortly thereafter taken into custody for driving under the influence. She has been cited for driving under the influence and multiple traffic violations. She was later released to a sober party.
“This impaired driver put herself and other motorists in incredible danger: not just weaving, but driving full speed in the wrong lane towards other unsuspecting drivers,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Troopers work around the clock to prevent tragedies from happening, and tonight, this trooper very possibly saved lives.”
Through reviewing crash and citation data over the last three years (2019-2021), the Colorado State Patrol discovered that fatal crashes investigated by the Patrol involving motorists between age 16 – 49 had consistent top causal factors. Impairment was the top factor and lane violations were the second top causal factor.
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