UPDATE 11:50 a.m.: This story has been updated to include more information from the Wyoming Highway Patrol about those injured in the crash.
A commercial tanker truck driver failing to stop for traffic waiting to enter a one-lane construction zone west of Casper on Friday afternoon plowed into seven other vehicles, killing two people and injuring eight others, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reports in a fatal crash summary of the incident released Wednesday.
The crash happened at 1:50 p.m. Friday on U.S. Highway 20/26 near mile marker 58.3, about 45 miles northwest of Casper wit the WHP having identified driver inattention as a possible contributing factor in the crash.
As of Wednesday, no criminal charges had been announced.
Responding to Cowboy State Daily requests for information about whether any arrests have been made in relation to the crash and if anyone has been criminally charged, the WHP said that the investigation into the crash is active and information about potential criminal charges won’t be released until that’s been completed.
The fatal crash summary says that the westbound 2024 Western Star tanker truck failed to stop at mile marker 58.3 for queued traffic waiting to enter the construction zone before striking a Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota Highlander, Toyota 4Runner, Subaru Outback, Chevrolet Camaro, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Impala.
The crash involved eight vehicles and 17 people.
Two people died, eight were injured and seven escaped injury.
A 3-year-old and an adult male in the Highlander were both transported to Banner Wyoming Medical Center via helicopter. Also, a 1-year-old and adult female in the same vehicle were taken to the hospital by ground ambulance, the WHP reports, adding they were treated and released.
Two others were also taken by ambulance to Casper, where they were treated and released.
The driver of the 4Runner and a passenger, an adult female and male, were also hospitalized at Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper.
Colorado Couple Identified
The Natrona County Coroner's Office identified the two people killed as James Faris Cox, 74, and Susan Horn Cox, 69, of Golden, Colorado.
The couple was traveling to Ennis, Montana, according to a family member.
Both were wearing seat belts, according to the Highway Patrol's crash summary.
The Highway Patrol said the weather was clear; the roadway was dry, and neither a rollover nor collision with a fixed object contributed to the crash.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Aftermath
Several motorists interviewed by Cowboy State Daily said they at first believed traffic had stopped because of the construction project ahead.
Erin Mills said she was driving toward Riverton after dropping her dogs off in Casper when traffic came to a standstill.
"I thought I was waiting on the pilot car," she said.
Like many others, Mills had already driven through the work zone earlier and expected another routine delay.
Instead, as traffic ahead slowly began turning around, she caught her first glimpse of the aftermath.
"When that camper moved, that's when I could see," she said. "I saw what looked like a shredded vehicle on the left-hand side of the road."
"I didn't physically see it happen," she continued. "I was behind it and saw the aftermath."
From where she was, Mills said she saw a jackknifed fuel tanker and damaged vehicles scattered across the highway.
"It looked like a tanker just plowed through these vehicles," she said, emphasizing she was describing what the aftermath looked like, not what she actually saw happen.
The WHP’s crash summary confirms the commercial tanker struck the line of stopped traffic after failing to stop.
'Something Wrong'
Another witness, Krista Nethercott, also believed traffic had stopped because of construction.
"There were these pylons on the right-hand side that kind of tell you there's construction," she said. "But there wasn't anything alerting you to slow down. There wasn't a flagger."
After several minutes, she stepped out of her vehicle because, she said, "I just felt like there was something wrong."
When she walked forward, she realized the line of stopped vehicles was the result of a catastrophic crash.
"That's when I could see there were cars on both sides of the road," she said.
A funeral director, Nethercott immediately ran toward the wreckage to make sure someone had called 911 and to offer assistance.
Working alongside another bystander, she checked on James and Susan Cox.
"The gentleman was immediately deceased," she said. "The lady probably lived a couple minutes."
She recalled that both appeared to have been wearing their seat belts.
Their pickup was so badly crushed, she said, that rescuers ultimately needed specialized equipment to remove the couple.
"If the woman had lived longer, I don't think this gentleman and I could have ever taken her out of the vehicle," she said. "That's how crushed it was."
Before Help Arrived
Because the crash happened in a remote stretch of western Natrona County, Nethercott estimated it took about 30 minutes before ambulances and firefighters reached the scene.
"It seemed like it was a long time to see paramedics," she said. "But considering you're out in the middle of nowhere, I don't think they could have gotten there any quicker."
Long before emergency crews arrived, however, strangers had already begun helping one another. Nethercott estimated roughly 10 motorists got out of their vehicles to help.
Some searched for fire extinguishers. Others comforted injured victims. One man who identified himself as working at a pediatric clinic checked on a young child who remained safely secured in a five-point car seat while the child's injured father tried to comfort him.
"There were people left and right getting out of their vehicles and trying to find anything that could be used," Nethercott said. "Whether it's water, an emergency medical kit or a fire extinguisher."
The Natrona County Fire District later praised those bystanders.
"Crews would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all the bystanders who assisted victims immediately after the crash, while waiting for help to arrive, as well as while responders were on-scene, offering shelter during the passing of a thunder cell, emotional support and minor patient care," the agency said in a statement.
"The true spirit of the 'Wyoming Way' was in full force this day,” the statement adds.
Although there was little anyone could do medically for Susan Cox, Nethercott said they made sure she wasn't alone.
"We told her help was coming,” she said. "We don't know what happens when people are unconscious, but we wanted her to know somebody was there."
Only then did Nethercott turn her attention to survivors who still could be saved.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
