The child who was killed in the four-vehicle crash on Interstate 25 near Loveland on Tuesday has been identified by the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.
Elijah Manley, 17 months, was killed in the crash that also injured another juvenile and two adults in the vehicle he was riding in, according to an emailed statement from the coroner’s office Thursday morning.
The four-vehicle crash near Crossroads Boulevard in Loveland was the result of an earlier incident where a vehicle involved in a medical emergency had to pull to the side of the road for emergency care, according to a Colorado State Patrol Tuesday release. The secondary crash involved a box truck, a Lexus GX, a Kia Telluride, and a Chevrolet Silverado hauling a trailer.
Two adults and one of the children in the Lexus were transported to the hospital, but the other child in the vehicle, Elijah, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jose Salazar, the 35-year-old man who was driving the box truck, is now facing charges of child abuse, acting recklessly resulting in the death of a child; vehicular homicide while driving under the influence; vehicular homicide while driving recklessly; vehicular assault; and tampering with physical evidence.
While driving, Salazar veered from the center lane and struck the Lexus in the right lane, according to a Colorado State Patrol Wednesday release. The truck pushed the Lexus forward into the other vehicles. No other injuries were reported. He is set to appear in 8th Judicial District Court in Fort Collins at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 29.
A GoFundMe was created to help the family of the 17-month-old focus on healing and grieving. Donations will support the family as they deal with lost wages from having to step away from work and unexpected expenses, the fundraiser’s description stated.
“No words can fully capture the heartbreak of losing a child in a tragic car accident, and this family is now walking through an unimaginable season of grief,” the fundraiser’s description stated.
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