Special to the Daily
EAGLE COUNTY — A Maryland man was arrested Tuesday on several charges after crashing his vehicle near Wolcott. The man’s vehicle was recorded going 130 mph.
According to a release from the Colorado State Patrol, at approximately 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, the State Patrol received multiple 911 calls of a Dodge Challenger westbound on Interstate 70 in Summit County at milepost 213 traveling at a high rate of speed, making unsafe lane changes, and driving in a reckless manner. Troopers in Summit County responded and were unable to locate the vehicle.
Several minutes later, the State Patrol and Vail Public Safety Communications Center received additional 911 calls reporting the same description of a Dodge Challenger traveling westbound down Vail Pass, still continuing at a high rate of speed and making unsafe lane changes. Multiple Eagle County agencies were alerted and attempted to locate the vehicle.
Near Edwards, a trooper located the Dodge Challenger and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspect began passing vehicles on the right shoulder and accelerated to more than 130 mph. Due to heavy traffic and excessive speeds, the trooper broke off the attempt to stop the vehicle.
An off-duty officer then reported the vehicle had crashed on a curve just west of the Wolcott exit (milepost 157) and rolled into the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70. Troopers and Eagle County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived shortly after, closing the eastbound lanes of I-70 for approximately one hour.
The driver, a 31-year-old Maryland man, appeared to have minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Troopers later arrested and booked the driver into the Eagle County jail.
He faces charges of: Driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, a misdemeanor.
- Reckless driving, a Class 2 traffic misdemeanor.
- Reckless endangerment, a Class 3 misdemeanor.
- Exhibition of speed, a traffic misdemeanor.
- Damage to a highway structure, a traffic infraction.
- No proof of insurance, a misdemeanor.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, a misdemeanor.
The suspect remains in custody at the Eagle County Detentions Center on a $1,000 bond.
Troopers are still investigating this incident and drugs are suspected to be a factor.
If you have any information relating to this incident, call the Colorado State Patrol at 970-824-6501.
