A 24-year-old semitrailer driver accused of slamming into the bed of a pickup and triggering the deadly 2025 Valentine’s Day pileup that closed the Green River Tunnel for months has been criminally charged more 15 months after the explosive crash that killed three people.
According to court records made available Tuesday, Riaz Ahmad Noori is wanted on two counts of aggravated homicide and one of aggravated assault and battery — all Wyoming felonies each punishable by up to 20 years in prison each if convicted.
The Feb. 14, 2025, crash eventually ballooned into a 26-vehicle catastrophe that filled the westbound Interstate 80 tunnel near Green River with fire, explosions and thick, black smoke.
According to an affidavit written by Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Tyler Chapman, the pileup began when a Toyota Tundra lost traction near the tunnel exit, struck a guardrail and spun back into traffic, blocking most of the right lane and part of the left lane.
Snow had fallen earlier that day, and slush and ice had formed near the tunnel exit where the variable speed limit had already been reduced from 65 mph to 55 mph because of weather conditions, according to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
A Pepsi semitrailer then braked and veered left to avoid the disabled pickup, striking the tunnel wall before narrowly missing the Tundra.
Another semi entered the tunnel afterward and jackknifed while attempting to stop, leaving its trailer blocking the right lane and the tractor sideways across the left lane, the affidavit says.
The crash killed Christopher Johnson, 20, and Quentin Romero, 22, both of Rawlins. Another truck driver, 30-year-old Harmanjeet Singh of Nova Scotia, Canada, died after becoming trapped in the post-crash fire.
Daryn Macy survived but suffered severe injuries, reports the affidavit, including a major liver laceration, lacerated spleen, traumatic subdural hemorrhage with loss of consciousness, fractured vertebrae, multiple broken ribs, fractures in her foot and a fractured thumb.
Semi Slammed Into Truck
Investigators say 21-year-old Bradley Coleman was driving a Dodge Ram westbound through the tunnel with passengers Daryn Macy, Christopher Johnson and Quentin Romero.
At roughly the same time, Noori was driving an IGM Logistics Inc. semi westbound approaching the tunnel. According to the affidavit, the Dodge Ram passed the IGM semi on the left before entering the tunnel.
The affidavit states the Ram’s brake lights became visible as it approached the jackknifed semitrailer blocking the roadway ahead.
“Right at the camera timestamp of 11:34:53,” the affidavit states, the Ram “begins to slide, rotating toward the south wall.”
Chapman wrote that the truck’s brake lights were visible, as was the semitrailer blocking the lane ahead.
Investigators say Noori then moved into the left lane, struck the tunnel wall and “overrode the bed” of the Dodge Ram before continuing forward into the disabled tractor-trailer blocking the tunnel.
The affidavit states the “IGM/Ram combination” then struck the disabled Toyota Tundra before crashing into the rear of the Pepsi trailer outside the tunnel.
Tunnel Filled With Fire, Smoke
Federal investigators said several more vehicles crashed after the initial collisions, and a massive fire erupted inside the tunnel.
A long-haul trucker who goes by the online handle tophauler0 and narrowly escaped the explosive pileup described the horror inside the tunnel and posted graphic and intense video of the immediate aftermath on social media.
In one of the videos, screams can be heard from drivers who say they are burning up.
“Oh, this truck is on fire,” tophauler0 said in one of the videos, referring to a truck that crashed in front of him. “I gotta get out of here.”
He then can be seen kicking out the windshield of his semitrailer to escape, while other vehicles in the crash and a fire can be seen burning in the background.
The trucker’s second video picks up after he’s escaped from the tunnel and clearly shows him just outside the entrance, a huge plume of black smoke billowing out with various law enforcement officers on the scene.
He goes on to tell the officer that his truck was involved, but was one of the last ones, and it did not get too far into the tunnel.
“I was one of the very last ones, man,” he says. “The truck in front of me was on fire, with that guy dying in there. He’s dead."
Initially, emergency crews could not reach portions of the tunnel because of intense heat, explosions, heavy smoke and falling concrete.
‘Human Error Was The Primary Factor’
Investigators say road conditions inside the tunnel were dangerously slick because of snow, slush and ice buildup.
Water carried into the tunnel by passing vehicles had frozen on the roadway surface, increasing the distance required for vehicles to stop safely, says the affidavit.
Even with those conditions, and despite an illuminated 55 mph speed limit sign, investigators allege Noori was traveling between 60 and 65 mph approaching the tunnel.
The affidavit states he slowed closer to the speed limit as he entered the tunnel, but not before colliding with the Ram.
“Human error was the primary factor contributing to these crashes” Chapman concludes in the affidavit. "Notably, 13 vehicles were brought to a controlled stop without striking anything, with five ultimately being struck."
The charging documents were filed in Sweetwater County Circuit Court on May 22. As of Friday afternoon, Noori had not been arrested, but the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office has confirmed there is an active warrant for his arrest.
Noori is also facing separate civil litigation tied to the crash from a wrongful death lawsuit filed in September accusing he and his employer, IGM Logistics Inc., for failing to operate safely in dangerous winter conditions.
"As a direct and proximate result of Defendant Noori's negligence and reckless acts and omissions, Quentin Romero was killed, and his family suffered damages and losses," reads the complaint.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
