Charges pending after crash victim dies

PAONIA — New charges could be filed in a five-vehicle crash last week after an elderly victim died.

The Colorado State Patrol said 92-year-old Helen Hurley of Hotchkiss, who was injured in a March 29 wreck on Highway 133, died Monday. Rolan LeBlanc, 79, initially cited for careless driving causing injury in the crash, could now face additional charges.

Hurley was a passenger in a 1999 Subaru, which had stopped behind other cars on the highway a few miles outside of Paonia.

The Subaru and two other vehicles, a Toyota Camry and Ford Ranger, were stopped behind a Cadillac Deville that was waiting to turn left into a driveway.

The CSP said Leblanc was northbound in his 1990 Peterbilt dump truck when he saw the vehicles and hit the brakes. His truck skidded and struck the Subaru, knocking it into the oncoming lane and off the left side of the highway.

The dump truck then reportedly struck the rear of the Camry, sending it forward and into the rear of the Ranger, which then hit the back of the Cadillac.

Hurley’s vehicle and the Camry and Ranger were towed with extensive damage while their occupants were taken to Delta County Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Hurley died at an Eckert nursing home Monday, from what was preliminarily determined to be a head injury.

The CSP said drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash and all occupants were wearing seat belts.