ALSO READ: Neighbors Say “It’s A Miracle” All 9 Teens Survived Cokeville Head-On Crash
UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: This story has been updated to include more information about the crash, vehicles involved and extent of the injuries to the nine juveniles.
A head-on collision involving a pickup and an SUV on Wednesday night outside of Cokeville left nine juveniles hurt, some of whom suffered serious injuries and required air ambulance transport.
The crash involved all juveniles, who had been split up in a Dodge Ram pickup and a Toyota Higlander with five in the SUV and four in the truck, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Lincoln County Sheriff M. Shane Johnson.
The vehicles collided on Wyoming Highway 32, just east of U.S. Highway 30, at Mile Marker 1 at about 9 p.m. Wednesday evening, state patrol Officer Arron Healy said. Ambulances from all over Lincoln County and at least two air ambulances arrived on the scene to transport the injured. Two kids were flown to area hospitals.
“It was a head-on collision with all local kids that went to various hospitals for treatment with various degrees of injuries,” Johnson told Cowboy State Daily, adding that some included “significant head injuries and internal injuries.”
A couple of youths remain in the hospital but are believed to be stable, Healy said. The rest have been sent home,including three who were treated and released at the scene.
Investigators suspect the Highlander, headed northbound, crossed into the southbound lane of the Ram, causing the crash, Healy said.
Lane use by the SUV’s driver and seat belt use in the Highlander are two factors investigators continue to probe. The speed limit on that stretch of roadway is 65 mph.
“It’s a reminder: Seatbelts,” Healy said. “You got to wear your seatbelts.”
The vehicles’ occupants were all locals from Cokeville or surrounding areas, Johnson said.
The cause of the collision remains unknown, but Johnson said he did not know of any evidence pointing to mechanical failures or the involvement of alcohol.
Preliminary information from an ongoing investigation involving both Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office indicate that the truck and SUV were not going to the same destination, and it remains unclear where both were headed.
“We’ll continue to work with (the highway patrol) and follow up on injuries and determine what exactly happened to see if there’s any other action that needs to be taken,” Johnson said.
Justin George can be reached at justin@cowboystatedaily.com.
