MESA COUNTY, Colo. — A man was arrested for alleged impaired driving three months after a crash that killed three people, including two Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) employees, in Mesa County.
The crash happened around 10:40 a.m. on Sept. 4 on westbound Highway 6 near milepost 40.
According to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), a CDOT vehicle, identified as a Ford F-450, was parked off the right side of the road and had its lights and sign board activated. Two CDOT employees, who were wearing their safety vests, were standing behind the truck removing a sign from the bed.
CSP said a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading westbound on Highway 6 ran off the right side of the road, striking the CDOT employees and crashing into the back of the Ford F-450.
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The two CDOT employees were pronounced dead at the scene. They were later identified as Trent Umberger, 43, and Nathan Jones, 23, both of Grand Junction.
The passenger in the Jeep Grand Cherokee was also pronounced dead at the scene. She was later identified as Kathi Ann Wallace of Grand Junction.
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The driver of the Jeep was identified as Patrick James Sneddon, 59. He was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Mesa County Jail on several charges, including:
- Three counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence
- Two counts of failure to yield the right of way to a stationary public service utility vehicle resulting in death
- Failure to drive in a single lane (weaving)
- Driving while under the influence
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