There was an accident last night...

[fkovalski]

I had to stay late at work last night. There’s this stretch of road between Frisco and Breckenridge. Traffic was backed up quite a bit when I tried to go home about half past five. “Spring Break” traffic! It happens every year. But we are a tourist oriented community and I do not mind it. “Well, I’ll just head back to the office for and hour or so. ”

I hear on the local station that it is actually an accident that is tying up things on Rt 9.

At 10:00 pm traffic is moving as I head out again towards home. Slow but sure, cars are moving until it comes to halt yet again.

I see the flatbeds roll by with the remains of what were once two cars. Usually astute in being able to identify brands and models, I could not tell what type of cars these crumples of steel were.



I drove to work today over the area. I saw the motor oil on the road. But it was not oil. Oil is not that red in colour.

Today’s headlines revealed more information of the incident of the “head- on. ”

People died.

I feel numb even though I do not know the parties involved.



Please be careful out there. And, tell your families that you love them.



Thanks for reading. –frank.

 

[RustyJC]

And, please, wear your seat belts. I learned this lesson the hard way when I went into the a-pillar and the co-worker with me went through the windshield!



Rusty

 

[KIseminger]

Frank-



Our Frisco Engine went on that call. Very sad thing. Can't really share many details outside of what SDN said though.



Things like this always make me more aware weather I am driving my truck or the engine..... especially when I see it firsthand.

 

[JWillms]

Man that get me to. I was just up there last week and came back on Friday and the traffic was there but not heavy and mostly all spring breakers like me. I did notice some people flying down the steep grades on I 70 and just thought man I wish they had more common sience. My prayers go out to there family.

 

[KIseminger]

Originally posted by JWillms

I did notice some people flying down the steep grades on I 70 and just thought man I wish they had more common sience.

Yeah, we get those poeple all the time. I feel comfertable going 70-75 MAYBE and that's because I do it a lot..... and I still have people passing me. When they are asked how fast they were going they tend to stretch the truth. What really scares me are the truckers that don't know how to handle a +50k pound vehicle on a 6% grade and end up smoking their brakes. They usually get lucky though.....

 

[klenger]

I quite often say a quick prayer of thanks when we return safely from a camping trip. I know that towing our camper is somewhat more dangerous than traveling empty, especially in the mountains.



That area is my favorite spot in all of Colorado. Spent a lot of time hiking, climbing, cycling, snow shoeing, and camping there. There is a trail called the "peaks trail" that goes from Frisco to Breckenridge along the base of the 10 Mile Range. Awsome.



http://www.klenger.net/photo_album/peaks_trail/index.html

 

[TPCDrafting]

Sorry to hear about this Frank. That is a dangerous highway.





We had a head on not more than a 1/4 mile from my house about 2 weeks ago. Only it was a woman and a man on their way to work very early in the morning. They popped up over a small hill in their Ford Focus by a riding stable where 2 (pregnant) brood mares had gotten loose and were in the middle of the highway. The woman driving was killed instantly, the man was rushed to the hospital and released later that day. Both horses had to be put down by the deputy including the one IN the car. There are no skid marks, evidentally they didn't see them till it was way too late. We've all been prayin for her and family. We've also been prayin for a little rain or snow to wash the truck sized blood stain off the highway.

 

[lcoblentz]

News story here

 

[Rebel_Horseman]

"Frisco police gave several motorists tickets after drivers tried to drive through the blockade, nearly hitting officers who were directing southbound traffic to turn around at the Summit County Commons. "



I hate to ask this but is this really a problem??? Were there really people that ignorant to disregard a cop telling them to go one way and trapse right thru a crime scene? Those people should have been arrested instead of ticketed! Talk abotu making a bad situation worse.

 

[KIseminger]

Originally posted by Rebel_Horseman



I hate to ask this but is this really a problem??? Were there really people that ignorant to disregard a cop telling them to go one way and trapse right thru a crime scene? Those people should have been arrested instead of ticketed! Talk abotu making a bad situation worse.

My roommate is a Frisco cop but have not a chance to talk to him.



To answer your question; yes it does. Usually not to that extreme, but it happens. I'm not sure what happens to people's brains but they just don't comprehend that something else might just be more important than them driving somewhere. That is the thing that scares me the most working on highway incidents; people having no regard to our safety or just not paying attention. I can't tell you how many times people are speeding, see the big fire truck, lock up the brakes and almost make the scene worse.

 

[rrausch]

On the afternoon of May 3rd of 2003 a killer Tornado went through S. W. Missouri. It killed 3 people living in a Mobile home 100 yards from my barn, as well as several others in that area. My brother George lives near my barn in a new house which the tornado spared. After that Monster went through, live Power lines (The main Power Lines into town) were down across Highway H, trees, cars, junk was everywhere including all across the highway. My brother works for the city, and has a city truck and was asked to block the highway off up at the crossroad, so people would be forced around the site until City Electrical Crews could get out there and take care of the power lines and debris etc. So George took his city truck up to the crossroads, turned on the yellow flashing lights on top, blocked the highway and waited beside the truck with a flashlight directing traffic. At some point some kid in a Ricer Pick-up drove up to him slowly as if he was going to obey him, then goosed it at the last minute, drove down into the ditch and sped around him, barreling up Highway H.

My brother yelled at him but stayed there continuing to direct traffic around the scene. Several hours later he was relieved by a bigger city truck which put up barracades. He drove on into town and as he went by our place he noticed the Ricer P. U. partly in the ditch, abandoned. The kid evidently tried to go around a big tree which had fallen across the highway and had gotten stuck and had walked on into town. About 10:00 the next morning, after working all night on all the City's Tornado related problems my Bro. headed home exhausted. As he approached our place, a City Loader was near, lifting debris off the highway and dumping it off onto the banks of the highway. My brother got out and talked to the guys, and they said, "What do you want us to do with this pick-up here in the ditch?" George told them what had happened, so the guy running the loader pushed the forks under it, picked it up (not too gently) and deposited it on the other side of the highway. Then they decided that wasn't safe enough, and the guy running the loader deposited it back on side it had initially gotten stuck on, but further up on the bank. The next day kid had to have it winched off the bank and towed into town. Live power lines were all over the place--he was lucky to get off with just a battered truck.

 

[Scot]

May '95 we had a storm come through with large hail and flooding. We have a road blocked and are working swift water rescue of about 6 people in 3 vehicles. Fort Worth FD is operating their hovercraft on the south side of the river. Jeep Grand Cherokee drives around the barracades and drives south on the road. We are all shouting for him to stop but he drives marrily on. I saw his face the instant when he realized that he was driving a boat instead of a Jeep. He floated south and missed the hovercraft by a few feet. His boat crashed south of the river.



Another fellow was pulling a boat and insisted on getting in, unhooking and firing the big motor. Most of the lower unit is probably still down in the ditch.



I have jumped over a guard rail to keep from getting crushed by a freaked out guy whose wife had bent a little sheet metal driving on the ice.



I have had drunks come through accident scenes and nearly run over people. You would have to see it to believe it.

 

[datablitz]

i always hate to hear about these stories, but a note to help ease you stomach... . the red was probably trans fluid... still bad with deaths, but more than likly there was not blood on the road

 

[QRTRHRS]

Why is it that people will stand in lines for hours on end for say concert tickets, store sales, etc. , but will absolutely not tolerate anything that hampers their sojourn when behind the wheel?

 

[fkovalski]

Well, a third person died from this accident. Follow up story here.



I beg to differ with thier account of the wrecks being covered up. Must have done it back at the gas station. I do beleive that it was blood that I saw on the road as the oil stains remain, but the spot of the red space has washed away with last night's snow/ rain. It is kinda' strange driving over an area where people were killed in such a tragic way. Just not the thing that I want to get used to, especially in a small mountain community. Thanks to all who read. Life goes on. -frank.

 

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by fkovalski

All three men in the two-door Dihatsu that crossed into oncoming traffic on Highway 9 near Frisco died in the accident.

You know, it is sad that this happened... but there is no way I would be driving around mountain roads in a friggin Daihatsu. Driving one of those things is like wrapping yourself up in aluminum foil and standing in front of an oncoming 18-wheeler, expecting to be protected from the impending impact... basicaly, suicide.

 

[PaulCreamer]

I don't talk about this much, but

I was involved in a freak accident 15 + years ago involving my tractor trailer and an unfortunate pedestrian. This poor soul was crossing a 12 lane highway (Roosevelt Blvd @ Southampton Rd) on a foggy, rainy morning at dawn. He was struck by a van and launched in to the path of my truck. I had no time to react. The sight that I saw that day STILL wakes me up in the middle of the night. I think the thing that struck me the most about that whole deal was the fact that this guy got dressed and left the house for work like he did every morning and probably said good by to his family expecting full well to see them at the end of the day. He was killed instantly.



Folks, you never know when its gonna happen to you, or maybe someone close to you. In my case, this was a life changing event, one that I will never forget. Because of this, I try to cherish every day with my family and friends. And another lesson that I took from this is the fact that a short cut may not be worth it.

 

[fkovalski]

alcohol....

What more can be said... . how many times do we have to hear about stupidity like this! Latest from the Summit Daily News

 

[Fireman Dave]

Quote: "Ramirez Cruz was wearing an automatic, passive restraint seat belt without wearing the lap belt, Prater said. Not wearing the full seat belt can make the effects of the impact in an auto accident worse, he said. "





Translation: Can result in decapitation. Been on one of those before.

 

[lgibson]

I just lost a friend Tuesday in a senseless act. She was getting a ride home with a friend and her friend's two friends. The driver, 18, had a few beers and drove on a winding road doing over 100 mph in a 30. The car, a Honda Accord, slid sideways and into the front of a Toyota 4-Runner. The driver, Amy, and Amy's friend died. The other boy in the car looks like he will pull through.



Amy was the sweetest person. She was only 21 years old. She was graduating from OSU in 6 weeks and was getting married soon after. Now we will bury her next to her mother Tomorrow.



See here