PLATTEVILLE, Colo. — A young child was killed and nine other people were injured in a crash early Sunday in Platteville after an SUV carrying 10 people turned in front of a semi-truck and was hit, according to authorities.
The crash happened at 1:17 a.m. Sunday on southbound U.S. 85 at Justin Avenue, according to a news release from the Platteville Gilcrest Fire Protection District. Callers to 9-1-1 reported that multiple people were ejected from the SUV, the fire district said.
Platteville Police and fire crews performed patient triage and extricated a trapped person from the SUV. One person, a young child, died in the crash. Nine others were injured, at least five of them with critical injuries, the fire district said.
Seven patients were taken to hospitals by ambulance, and two – an adult and an infant – were taken by private vehicle before fire crews arrived on scene, the release says.
"Unfortunately there were 10 people in a vehicle that did not have the occupancy load for that amount of people," said Matt Concialdi, EMS chief and public information officer with Platteville Gilcrest Fire. "One person was wearing a seatbelt. As of right now, it does not appear that anyone else was wearing a seatbelt."
Preliminary reports indicated the SUV turned in front of the semi-truck. No car seats were found in the SUV, and Platteville Police confirmed an infant and a young child were sitting on the laps of adults. Police haven't ruled out impaired driving as a possible factor, according to the release.
"The two children, one infant and one young child, were on the lap of an adult. They were ejected out along with the other passengers," said Concialdi. "The force of the crash is more significant and stronger than anyone can hold on to an infant or child."
Of the 236 people in cars who have died so far this year in crashes, 126 were not wearing a seatbelt.
CDOT this week is launching a new safety campaign to get people to buckle up. You’ll likely see videos showing what it’s like to be in a car crash without a seatbelt.
"Three out of five deaths that occur in a rollover are from people not wearing a seatbelt," the CDOT video says.
The semi-truck driver remained on scene, was medically assessed and released. The driver was cooperating with the investigation, the fire district said.
Other responding agencies were Colorado State Patrol, Fort Lupton Police Department, Fort Lupton Fire Protection District, Frederick Firestone Fire Protection District, Mountain View Fire Rescue, Weld County Sheriff's Office, Firestone Police Department, Mead Police Department, Milliken Police Department, Lochbuie Police Department and the Weld County Coroner's Office.
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