A Toyota Tundra pickup that lost control just as it exited the westbound tunnel on Interstate 80 outside Green River last month sparked the 26-vehicle, triple-fatal pileup that followed, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report.
The 2006 Toyota Tundra drove through the westbound tunnel in the left lane at about 11:33 a.m. Feb. 14. Snow had fallen earlier that day. The skies were then clear, but slush and ice may have formed near the tunnel exit, says the report, released Wednesday.
The variable speed limit was down from the prior night’s 65 mph to 55 mph.
As the Toyota left the tunnel, it spun to the left, struck a metal guardrail, continued traveling west and came to rest about 150 feet from the westbound tunnel exit. There it blocked the right lane and a portion of the left lane, the report says.
The driver of the Toyota survived, the report indicates.
Next, the driver of a 2024 Peterbilt commercial truck in combination with a 2016 Great Dane 53-foot-long semitrailer, also traveling in the left lane, tried to avoid the stopped Toyota and struck the left side of the tunnel.
The report says the driver of the Peterbilt regained control, avoided hitting the Toyota and stopped on the right shoulder about 450 feet west of the tunnel exit.
A westbound 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling in the left lane of the tunnel when its driver noticed the stopped Toyota and braked, the report says.
The Jeep started spinning and hit the metal guardrail and curb near the tunnel exit, then shot northwest across both lanes and came to rest on the hillside off the road’s right shoulder.
More than a month after a devastating 26-vehicle crash and fire inside the westbound Green River Tunnel, cleanup is still underway. (Wyoming Department of Transportation) 
An investigation is underway at the Green River Tunnel along Interstate 80 after a fatal multi-vehicle crash sparked explosions and an intense fire inside Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Wyoming Department of Transportation) 
From the charred westbound lane of the Green River Tunnel on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily) 
More than a month after a devastating 26-vehicle crash and fire inside the westbound Green River Tunnel, cleanup is still underway. (Wyoming Department of Transportation) 
Heavy, black smoke continues to billow out of both ends of the Green River tunnels along Interstate 80 after a fatal multivehicle pileup and fire inside Friday afternoon. People in traffic report “huge explosions.” (Wyoming Department of Transportation via Webcam) 
Friday's crash inside the westbound Green River Tunnel killed three people, officials confirmed as the final death toll. (Wyoming Department of Transportation) 
From the charred westbound lane of the Green River Tunnel on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily)
Chain Reaction
Moments later, a 2020 Volvo VNL semitrailer in combination with a 2020 Wabash 53-foot-long semitrailer was traveling west through the tunnel in the right lane.
The Volvo driver braked in at the sight of the Toyota, which caused the combination vehicle to jackknife inside the tunnel and block the left and right lanes about 200 feet before the tunnel exit, says the report.
Soon after, a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup traveling in the left lane and occupied by four people struck the Volvo’s truck tractor.
At that same moment, says the report, the driver of a 2019 Freightliner Cascadia truck in combination with a 2023 Wabash 53-foot-long semitrailer traveling in the right lane steered into the left lane, where it struck the tunnel wall and also collided with and overrode the Dodge.
The entangled Freightliner and Dodge continued traveling west, re-impacted the Volvo’s truck-tractor, left the tunnel, struck the Toyota, and came to rest after striking the rear of the Peterbilt. Following these collisions, several other vehicles collided inside the tunnel, and a post-crash fire followed, says the report.
Two of the people in the Dodge died as a result of the crash.
The driver of a truck-tractor and semitrailer combination vehicle inside the tunnel was trapped and died in the fire, the report says.
Twenty other travelers sustained injuries of varying degrees.
As of Tuesday, Sweetwater County Attorney Danny Erramouspe said he had not received all the information that would allow him to determine criminal culpability, if any, in the crash, according to the prosecutor’s interview with Cowboy State Daily.
Those involved in NTSB's investigation are the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar events, says the report.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
