Tragedy struck on Highway 83 in Douglas, Colorado, when a devastating car crash claimed the lives of five people, including three children. The accident occurred on Monday afternoon at around 4:39 p.m., leaving authorities and families in shock.
According to the Colorado State Patrol, a black Toyota hatchback was traveling southbound when its driver lost control and veered off the right shoulder. The vehicle then returned to the road and crashed into a tan Ford sedan, which was traveling northbound. In a shocking turn of events, the Toyota continued to travel in the wrong direction, eventually colliding with another black Ford pickup. Miraculously, the adult driver of the Ford pickup walked away unscathed.
The victims who lost their lives include three children and two adults. The man behind the wheel of the Toyota was pronounced dead on the scene, while five juveniles – including three of the crash's victims – also perished instantly. Two other young passengers were airlifted to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police officials have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, which is currently under the jurisdiction of the state's Vehicular Crimes Unit. Despite their best efforts, authorities still do not know what led to the Toyota losing control, but they are working tirelessly to piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.
The incident has left a community in mourning, with officials urging drivers in the area to avoid Highway 83 until the road is cleared of debris and repairs have been completed.
According to the Colorado State Patrol, a black Toyota hatchback was traveling southbound when its driver lost control and veered off the right shoulder. The vehicle then returned to the road and crashed into a tan Ford sedan, which was traveling northbound. In a shocking turn of events, the Toyota continued to travel in the wrong direction, eventually colliding with another black Ford pickup. Miraculously, the adult driver of the Ford pickup walked away unscathed.
The victims who lost their lives include three children and two adults. The man behind the wheel of the Toyota was pronounced dead on the scene, while five juveniles – including three of the crash's victims – also perished instantly. Two other young passengers were airlifted to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police officials have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, which is currently under the jurisdiction of the state's Vehicular Crimes Unit. Despite their best efforts, authorities still do not know what led to the Toyota losing control, but they are working tirelessly to piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.
The incident has left a community in mourning, with officials urging drivers in the area to avoid Highway 83 until the road is cleared of debris and repairs have been completed.
This is just heartbreaking... a family of five, including three little kids, gone in an instant 
. You'd think that with all the advances in safety features, we'd be safer on our roads. I mean, I've seen some crazy things happen while driving, but this? It's just not right. 
. This tragedy could have been avoided if only... well, I don't even want to think about it 
.
oh man, this is such a sad news 
my heart goes out to the families of those who lost their lives, especially those three innocent kids 
they were just going home from school or wherever they were headed after school and BAM, tragedy strikes 
but reality is so much harder to deal with 
anyway, I just hope the police can figure out what happened and that justice is served for those who lost their lives 
sending all my love and positive vibes to the community in Douglas, CO 
this is absolutely devastating news 
and those affected by this tragedy 
This tragic accident makes me think we're living in a world where people are more focused on their screens than the road 
. I mean, think about it, a driver's attention was completely diverted from the road by something else... it's like our roads are becoming mobile gaming zones or something! 
.
... anyway, I just hope the investigation finds out what happened so they can learn from it and keep our roads safer 
... like, how does that even happen? It's just so not normal... 
I mean, I know accidents can be random, but it feels like there was something more going on here. 
And to think there were three kids in that car, it's just devastating 
... hopefully it'll help reduce accidents like this in the future.
I'm just glad that one person in the Ford pickup was okay. The fact that two others were airlifted to the hospital is a relief, but still super scary. Three kids... that's just heartbreaking.