A person was taken into custody for suspected impaired driving three months subsequent to an accident that resulted in the fatalities of three individuals, two of whom were employees of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in Mesa County.
The crash happened around 10:40 a.m. on Sept. 4 on westbound Highway 6 near milepost 40.
Per the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), a CDOT truck, specified as a Ford F-450, was stationary on the right shoulder of the roadway with its lights and signage board activated. Two CDOT workers, clad in their safety vests, were positioned behind the vehicle removing a sign from its bed.
The CSP reported that a Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling in the direction of the west on Highway 6 veered off the right side of the road, hitting the CDOT workers and colliding with the rear of the Ford F-450.
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The two CDOT employees were pronounced dead at the scene. They were later identified as Trent Umberger, 43, and Nathan Jones, 23, both of Grand Junction.
The passenger in the Jeep Grand Cherokee was also pronounced dead at the scene. She was later identified as Kathi Ann Wallace of Grand Junction.
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The driver of the Jeep was identified as Patrick James Sneddon, 59. He was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Mesa County Jail on several charges, including:
- Three counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence
- Two counts of failure to yield the right of way to a stationary public service utility vehicle resulting in death
- Failure to drive in a single lane (weaving)
- Driving while under the influence
