Two Vehicle Accident on East Highway 50 Results in Fatality

News Update: 3:20pm

One man died and another was injured this morning when a van from Pueblo crossed the center line on Highway 50 east of Lamar and  sideswiped a semi.  The injuried man, who was not identified, was a passenger and was taken by ambulance to Prowers Medical Center.

The accident occured near mile marker 13, about 1.5 miles east of Shady Camp.  The semi, from Indiana, was en route to Dragon Enterprises, delivering 50,000 pounds of steel sheeting.  The van is owned by a heating and plumbing firm out of Pueblo and was traveling east when it may have crossed the center line of the highway, striking the semi.  There is no report of any injuries to the semi’s driver.  As of 3pm, traffic was being detoured around the accident site, as the steel sheets, at 500 lbs each, are being removed from the bar ditch.  Most of the semi’s load went into the ditch at the time of the collision.    Law enforcement agencies from the county and Colorado State Patrol, plus the County Rural Fire Department and Lamar and Fire and Ambulance responded to the accident this morning.

Complete details on a two vehicle accident on East Highway 50 won’t become available until local law enforcement authorities present their reports.

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Law Enforcement authorities have identified the deceased as 23 year old Josh Owens of Pueblo, CO.  His passenger, Pete Kraft, 28 of Canon City received serious injuries in the accident.  The driver of the semi, 54 Gregory Jenkins of St. Louis, MO was not injured in the crash.  All men were wearing restraints at the time of the accident.  Alcohol or drugs are not factors in the accident, according to the CSP.

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Colorado State Patrol, County Sheriff Deputies and the Prowers County Fire Department responded to a call shortly after 10am today, October 10, for a two car collision about 1.5 miles east of Shady Camp on East Highway 50. According to preliminary reports, an eastbound van sideswiped a westbound semi, leaving considerable debris along the highway.

Two ambulances were called to the scene, but there is no report on the extent of injuries or how many persons may have been injured at this time. Additional details will be posted with this article when they become available.

By Russ Baldwin