A woman killed in a crash on Interstate 70 near Silt on Friday has been identified by authorities as Sandra McDowell, age 71, of Grand Junction.
McDowell was the passenger in a vehicle driven by her husband when the accident occurred about 1:10 p.m. Friday at the Silt exit (Exit 97).
An autopsy was performed by the Garfield County Coroner’s Office contract forensic pathologist.
“The cause of death is multiple blunt force injuries,” according to Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire. The manner of death is being investigated as an accident.
McDowell was pronounced dead at the scene. She and her husband were headed eastbound when the vehicle skidded out of control on the rain-slick highway and crossed the median into the westbound lanes.
At least two other vehicles traveling westbound struck the couple’s vehicle head-on. The driver was transported to the hospital and did not have life threatening injuries. One additional person from another vehicle was transported to the hospital, also with non-life threatening injuries, according to a Friday press release.
