Two people, including the driver of a car being chased by Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputies, died Tuesday in a crash on eastbound U.S. 6, according to law enforcement.
The suspect was driving on deflated tires after deputies attempted to stop his vehicle and swerved into the westbound lanes, sending another car into the creek alongside the highway, according to the Clear Creek Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were searching for the man, believed to be involved in multiple vehicle break-ins in Georgetown and at least 25 similar incidents in Summit and Eagle counties, when the suspect vehicle was spotted near Floyd Hill on U.S. 40, sheriff’s officials said.
Clear Creek deputies and Idaho Springs police officers responded to U.S. 40 just before 2 p.m. Tuesday and tried to stop the suspect’s Chrysler Town and Country minivan, sheriff’s officials said.
The suspect, an unidentified 29-year-old man, fled from U.S. 40 onto U.S. 6 and then entered eastbound Interstate 70 via an off-ramp. He drove the wrong way on I-70 for roughly 1/2 mile before turning around.
On his return, the driver ran over “stop sticks” deployed by a deputy at eastbound I-70’s exit to U.S. 6, which punctured and deflated his tires. Sheriff’s officials said the man reentered U.S. 6 and fled east, sheriff’s officials said.
While driving on deflated tires, the suspect lost control of his vehicle, swerved into the westbound lanes and collided with a Lexus RX350 SUV, according to a news release from the Colorado State Patrol.
The Lexus was pushed off the roadway and rolled into Clear Creek. The Lexus driver was airlifted to the hospital, where the driver later died, according to the release.
The Chrysler driver died at the scene of the crash, state patrol officials said. Paramedics took his passenger, a 27-year-old woman, to the hospital with minor injuries.
Both drivers will be identified by the Jefferson County Coroner, according to the state patrol.
Three Jefferson County sheriff’s vehicles crashed on westbound U.S. 6 while en route to assist with the police chase, according to the state patrol.
One vehicle hit a raised metal construction plate and went airborne, causing the two other vehicles accompanying it to crash as the drivers attempted to avoid the airborne vehicle, state patrol officials said.
At least one Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy was taken to the hospital with minor injuries after colliding with a concrete barrier. No other injuries were reported by the state patrol.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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