The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Smaller accident near same spot a couple hours later
By Mark Reaman
A major head-on collision Saturday on Highway 135 near Almont shut down the highway for two hours and resulted in several injuries, one serious enough to be helicoptered out to another hospital. Shortly after the road was reopened, another accident occurred in the same area, resulting in minor injuries.
According to Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer, the first accident took place at 11:02 a.m. near mile marker 8. Moltrer said a Jeep Wrangler driven by 18-year-old Mason Weitman of Crested Butte crossed the center line while travelling southbound toward Gunnison. The jeep struck a Toyota 4Runner heading north with two adults and two small children in the vehicle.
Weitman was taken to Gunnison Valley Hospital with serious injuries. The 39-year-old male driving the 4Runner and his 39-year-old female passenger were also transported by ambulance to GVH. All were wearing seatbelts. The 39-year-old male was then airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction.
Two children, a four-year-old and a one-year-old were also in the 4Runner. The four-year-old was in a front facing child seat while the one-year-old was in a rear facing child seat. Both escaped the crash with no injuries and were not transported by ambulance to the hospital.
Names of those involved are not yet being released as they are still in the hospital. Moltrer said Weitman was charged with Careless Driving Causing Serious Bodily Injury; and Child Abuse (acted with criminal negligence when no death or injury resulted).
The highway was reopened at 12:57 p.m.
Just over two hours later at 3:01 p.m., a single-vehicle accident occurred at mile marker 9 on Highway 135. Moltrer said the vehicle rolled over and the two people inside the vehicle suffered minor injuries. One lane was briefly blocked and alternating traffic was allowed through the accident site. Moltrer said it was noted but not yet confirmed that an animal was possibly involved in the cause to that accident.
