Two people are dead and more than 20 people were injured after a 32-vehicle incident in the westbound lane of I-80 near Evanston on Wednesday afternoon.
The westbound lane of the interstate wasn't re-opened until late Thursday morning, according to Aaron Brown, spokesman for the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
The pileup occurred around 3:07 p.m. on Wednesday. In all, 22 commercial semi-trucks and 12 passenger vehicles were involved in the crash.
According to Brown, 22 people were transported to and treated for injuries at Evanston Regional Hospital. Injuries ranged from severe bruising to broken legs and ribs.
Three people were airlifted to hospitals in Utah for “advanced care.”
Two people died from injuries sustained in the crash.
“We do have two confirmed fatalities in two separate crashes,” Brown said. “I'm not going to go any further on the fatalities until we've notified next of kin.”
Uinta County Fire and Ambulance, one of the agencies that responded, reported transporting one patient from Evanston Regional Hospital who was injured in the crash to an airport to be flown to a Salt Lake City hospital.
The agency took two more injured crash victims to Ogden, Utah, for medical treatment.
Weather And Speed
WHP troopers were still “pulling all the pieces of the puzzle together” as they continued their investigation on Thursday. Brown said the timeline of events, specifically the instigating factor, hasn’t been determined.
“We don’t know who’s responsible for the initial crash,” he said. “I can tell you that there aren’t any charges at the moment.”
Brown mentioned charges because, in addition to hazardous winter weather conditions, one of the contributing factors to the fatal incident is believed to be excessive speed.
“Preliminary findings are showing that speed, specifically traveling too fast for existing conditions, is more than likely going to be a big contributing factor. Charges are pending because we don't know if we are going to charge anyone just yet.”
The weather at the time of the incident was snowy and windy with slick conditions and low visibility. Several commuters described passing through several whiteouts that afternoon.
There was another multi-vehicle incident that temporarily closed the eastbound lane of I-80 around the same time. That incident was cleared, and the lane was reopened overnight.
“That was a much smaller event, with only a couple of semi-trucks and passenger vehicles,” Brown said.
Stepping Up
Several people were trapped on the 21-mile stretch of the westbound lane during the extended closure, which lasted over 16 hours. Overnight temperatures dropped to 21 degrees.
Local communities rallied to assist the injured and stranded people on I-80. Brown said every large and small wrecker in Evanston and several from Lyman were summoned to the crash scene to clear the wrecked tractor trailers.
“We had two Uinta County school buses transport about 30 to 40 people to the Evanston Machine Shop for shelter,” Brown said. “Approximately 20 of them were a high school track team from Laramie County.”
At least one livestock hauler was rear-ended in the multi-vehicle wreck. The impact was significant enough to kill six cattle inside.
“The remaining cattle were transferred to another livestock trailer and transported to Evanston Fairgrounds,” Brown said.
Brown praised the tireless efforts and response of many agencies, including the Uinta County Sheriff’s Office, Uinta Fire and Ambulance, the Red Cross, and “a few good Samaritans,” among others.
“We do want to give everyone a big shout-out for their assistance,” he said.
Stay Safe
This is the second day of winter weather-related multi-vehicle incidents on I-80. WHP troopers and first responders from multiple agencies responded to multiple crashes involving 40 vehicles on the westbound lane near Arlington.
“These incidents serve as a reminder about winter driving in Wyoming,” he said. “Make sure you're never driving faster than conditions allow, and be prepared for that sudden change in weather, especially visibility.”
Brown reminded Wyomingites that one of the best ways to ensure their safety is to download the Wyoming 511 app. That will provide them with instantaneous information on accidents, closures, and other hazards they might encounter during their travels.
“Wyoming’s a big state,” he said. “If you're going to be traveling across the state, it’s important to pay attention to road conditions on your route. Anytime you think things are going to be just fine, Wyoming tends to surprise you.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
