Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — William Rosewater died in a rollover accident Saturday in which seven others were injured, the Routt County Coroner's Office reported.

The 58-year-old Golden man was pronounced dead at the scene, Deputy Coroner Dwight Murphy said. The deceased was one of eight people in a Ford Expedition that rolled 1.5 times Saturday on Elk River Road two miles north of its intersection with U.S. Highway 40.

One of the passengers -- Ray Sunter, 63, of Dunedin, Fla., -- was in serious condition Sunday at Denver Health Medical Center, said Donna Kettenbach, public relations officer with the hospital. Ray Sunter suffered a laceration of his liver and broken ribs and was flown to Denver Health Saturday, the Colorado State Patrol reported.

Three passengers are being treated at Yampa Valley Medical Center, said Frank May, the administrator on duty Sunday at the Steamboat Springs hospital.

Maureen Rosewater, 62, of Belleair, Fla., broke her arm in the crash, according to the State Patrol report. She was in good condition Sunday, May said.

Sandy Sunter, 55, of Dunedin Fla., and Pat Rosewater, 46, of Golden, were both in fair condition, May said. Sandy Sunter suffered a laceration to the top lip and Pat Rosewater suffered a broken jaw, according to the State Patrol.

Florance Mitchell, 65, of University, Ohio, was transported to Yampa Valley Medical Center with a broken pelvis, according to the State Patrol.

The hospital could provide no information on Florance Mitchell. New federal privacy regulations allow patients to prevent hospitals from releasing information about their medical conditions to the public.

Two men, Stanley Rosewater, 62, of Belleair, Fla., and Dennis Mitchell, 71, of University, Ohio, sustained only minor injuries and were not transported to the hospital, State Patrol Trooper Rick Kaspar said.

Stanley Rosewater was driving the 1998 Expedition.

Stanley Rosewater was driving south on Elk River Road when he swerved to miss oncoming traffic and rolled the vehicle into a gully on the east side of the road near Slate Creek Ranch at 3:55 p.m., Kaspar said.

According to witness accounts, Stanley Rosewater was driving through a bend in the road when a dark vehicle, possibly an SUV, traveling north, crossed the centerline into the Expedition's lane, Kaspar said.

Stanley Rosewater swerved right to avoid the oncoming vehicle, and then overcorrected to the left and lost control of his vehicle, which rolled and ejected three of the rear-seat passengers, Kaspar said.

At least four of the passengers, including Stanley Rosewater, were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The Expedition had three passengers in each of its middle and rear seats.

Kaspar said evidence supports witness accounts of the accident and no charges have been filed.

-- To reach Susan Bacon, call 871-4203

or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com