State patrol investigating 2 fatal crashes in southern Colorado
Two people were killed in separate crashes that happened Tuesday in southern Colorado, including one where an SUV went airborne for more than 60 feet.
The first crash happened around 7:30 a.m. on Huerfano County Road 620 about 4.5 miles east of Gardner. Colorado State Patrol says 56-year-old John Tkaczyk was driving a Chevy cargo van when it went off the road. Tkaczyk tried to steer back to the road but ended up flipping the van.
Tkaczyk wasn’t restrained when the van flipped – CSP says he was ejected and died at the scene. Alcohol and drugs aren’t believed to be factors, but investigators believe inattentiveness played a role.
The second crash happened around 1 p.m. on Interstate 25 about 13 miles north of Trinidad.
CSP says 70-year-old Mary Jo Paul of Centennial was driving her Acura SUV when she ran into several traffic posts and ran off the road.
The SUV went about 500 feet off road before going airborne and landing on the ground 67 feet away and rolling over onto its side.
Paul was dead at the scene of the crash, but CSP said she was wearing her seat belt. Alcohol and drugs aren’t believed to be factors in the crash.
