From staff and wire reports | Posted: Thursday, July 2, 2009 12:00 am
Three Colorado residents were killed and a fourth was injured in a head-on collision north of Lusk late Wednesday.
The deaths raised Wyoming's 2009 highway death toll to 61, compared with 63 at this point a year ago. At least eight people have died on the state's highways in the last five days.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol said 47-year-old Kelly D. Herland, 52-year-old Dean L. Davis and 47-year-old Shelly A. Davis were killed at about 9:20 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. Highway 85.
Herland was from Fruita, Colo. Dean Davis and Shelly Davis were from Palisade, Colo. There was no immediate word on the relationship between Dean and Shelly Davis.
The patrol said 47-year-old Mohamed E. Bakar of Denver was hurt. He was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, but his condition and injuries weren't released.
The patrol said Bakar's 2009 Kia sedan was southbound when it crossed into the northbound lanes and hit a 2009 Nissan sedan driven by Herland.
Dean Davis and Shelly Davis were passengers in the Nissan.
The collision was about 25 miles north of Lusk and 135 miles north of Cheyenne.
Highway Patrol Sgt. Stephen Townsend said the weather was clear and the roadway was dry. He said investigators don't know why Bakar's car crossed into the other lane.
Townsend said when the patrol finishes its investigation, the results will be turned over to the Niobrara County attorney, who will determine whether charges are filed.