January 24, 2023 |
The Wyoming Highway Patrol is investigating a fiery crash that occurred near Sinclair Sunday night on Interstate 80 that left five people dead.
The deadly incident was triggered by a wrong-way driver, according to the initial report from the WHP. The multi-vehicle crash occurred shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, six minutes after the Highway Patrol was notified of a driver traveling the wrong way on the interstate.
A statement released by the Highway Patrol Monday evening reports that a Dodge Ram 3500 was headed east in the westbound lanes of the I-80. The Dodge collided with a commercial truck and a passenger car around mile marker 219. A westbound driver of a second commercial truck attempted to avoid the approaching Dodge by driving into the median. The second commercial truck exited the median and entered the eastbound travel lanes, where it collided head-on with a Ford F-150. The second commercial truck and passenger became engulfed in flames upon impact.
The five occupants of the Ford were fatally injured. Some of the other motorists involved in the initial collision were transported to hospitals with critical injuries.
The driver of the Dodge, who was driving the wrong way, has been arrested on suspicion of impairment and may be charged with additional violations.
The WHP did not release any names in its initial report. This is an ongoing investigation.
