YOUR AD HERE »

3 people die in crash near Silt on Monday night

Post Independent News Update graphic

Updated 3:45 p.m.

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office confirmed Tuesday afternoon that three males died at the scene of Monday night’s crash near Silt.

Colorado River Fire Rescue and Colorado State Patrol responded to a two-vehicle wreck at approximately 9:51 p.m. Monday near mile marker 100 on Highway 6.



“We had three calls within 8 minutes, and one of them was a multiple fatal accident at Highway 6 and Davis Point,” CRFR Chief Randy Callahan said. “Both cars were on fire when we arrived.”

Coroner’s Office investigators responded and upon arrival learned that two pickup trucks were involved in a head-on collision that resulted in a fire.



“The impact from the crash and the subsequent fire has limited the Coroner’s Office investigators from determining a positive identification on all three males,” according to the release. “Circumstantial identification of the decedents is ongoing. The Coroner’s Office is working with families to achieve forensic identification.”

CSP are investigating the accident, which involved a 2014 Dodge pickup and 1990 Ford pickup. Two occupants of the Ford and one in the Dodge died.

Autopsies are scheduled for Wednesday with the Coroner’s Office contract pathologist. The Coroner’s Office will release findings regarding cause and manner of death and decedent identification when that information becomes available.  The Coroner’s Office will only release the names of the deceased to the public once forensic identification is determined, which could take days or weeks. 

The Colorado State Patrol, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado River Fire Rescue, Silt Police Department, Rifle Police Department, and Colorado Department of Transportation assisted the Garfield County Coroner’s Office. The Coroner’s Office is grateful for the teamwork provided by these agencies during this difficult multiagency response. 

kmills@postindependent.com


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.