Archive for Monday, September 10, 2007
Colorado Springs woman dies on Rabbit Ears Pass
Husband the driver of semitrailer that rolled over Sunday night
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Colorado Department of Transportation crews Monday clear the scene of a fatal accident on Rabbit Ears Pass. A woman died late Sunday night after a semitrailer driven by her husband rolled over and caught fire, on U.S. Highway 40 at mile marker 141. Colorado State Patrol is investigating the accident. The pass was closed to traffic for a few hours this morning, and is now open for vehicles.
Routt County — A Colorado Springs woman died Sunday night on Rabbit Ears Pass after the Safeway semitrailer she was riding in rolled over and burst into flames.
Colorado State Patrol Trooper J.J. Sewell said in a press release that Tracie McKiethen-Harp, 35, was riding in a 2000 Freightliner semitrailer driven by her husband, 36-year-old Sanford Harp of Colorado Springs, when Harp apparently lost control of the semitrailer through a right hand curve, causing the semitrailer to jackknife into the eastbound lane of traffic and off the left side of the highway, at about 11 p.m. Sunday on U.S. Highway 40 at mile marker 141. The semitrailer then traveled up the side of a hill and rolled onto its top. The trailer came to rest on its side, blocking the eastbound lane of traffic, according to the release.
The semitrailer caught fire, completely destroying the vehicle that was loaded with food.
McKiethen-Harp was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Her husband was transported to Yampa Valley Medical Center with moderate injuries, the release stated.
Colorado State Patrol Trooper Melissa Fowler said both McKiethen-Harp and Harp were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
It was raining on Rabbit Ears Pass at the time of the accident. Alcohol and speed do not appear to be contributing factors, the press release stated.
No other vehicles or injuries were reported, he said.
Harp was cited for careless driving causing injury.
The Colorado State Patrol is still investigating the accident.
Comments
smallfry (anonymous) says...
Nice to know they cited the driver... I'm sure losing his wife at his own hand wasn't bad enough.
September 10, 2007 at 1:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
stachiaw (anonymous) says...
Tracie was a my 1st cousin and she will be missed deeply by anyone whos presence she ever graced. She was a loving mother, sister, cousin, auntie and most of all a friend. We all grew up in North Carolina and as we all got older we started jobs, careers, etc and started moving away. I was stationed in Colorado Springs for short while and I was able to spend time with her sharing childhood stories of being at Grandma Mae's house, making mud pies, playing tackle football (yeah usually we ran from the tackler)... Well I could go on and on. I want to send my condolences to her Son, Mom, brothers and her husband. I will pray for strength that the Lord will keeps his hands on your hearts and the memories you all shared in your thoughts.. We all need to take time to let our loved ones know that we love them because tomorrow is not promised. May God Bless U All>>> Love always Eustachia Woodard and family
September 10, 2007 at 5:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
readbot42 (anonymous) says...
Tracie was a friend and co-worker, she will be sorely missed. I'm heartbroken for her husband and family, but especially for her young son who will now have to grow up without his mother. Looking at her empty desk right now, it is still so hard to believe she isn't coming back.
September 10, 2007 at 5:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
id04sp (anonymous) says...
I always tell my friends, "When you get to Colorado, the speed limits mean something."
It only takes a few seconds to get going a bit too fast. It sneaks up on you. There's no margin for error on a Colorado mountain road.
This is truly a tragedy to have it happen while belted into the cab of an 18-wheeler. People just don't understand the amount of energy wrapped up in a loaded truck even when it's not going very fast. I think it's time to lower the truck speed limit to 30 mph (as in other places with steep grades) and put cameras up there to enforce it. Stuff like this happens a couple of times a year, and even CDOT would have to agree the danger justifies the expense.
September 10, 2007 at 6:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bcpow (anonymous) says...
How many more semi accidents do we need to have on w 40? Maybe a sign stating the number of semi accidents a year needs to be placed on the initial descent of west summit and a second above the run away truck ramp reminding truckers they are not down yet. Just like 70.
September 10, 2007 at 7:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
enoughenough (anonymous) says...
"It was raining on Rabbit Ears Pass at the time of the accident. Alcohol and speed do not appear to be contributing factors, the press release stated."
id04sp, looks like the driver was following the speed. Give him a break.
September 11, 2007 at 12:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paddlefisher (anonymous) says...
drove tractor trailers/semis for years..no offence but rabbit ears is steep and the rule is one gear lower going down than when you went up if not two..lot of accidents cause drivers not used to mountian driving either burn there brakes your try to shift and wind up in nuetral(worest possible sinario)..I don't know if this happened ..my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the woman who lost her life and also the driver
September 11, 2007 at 5:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dundalk (anonymous) says...
Id:
Without having evidence to prove your statement, you unilaterally inject your condescending bile into a thread which is obviously more about remembering the victim.
Too bad you don't know all the details.
September 11, 2007 at 7:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JazzSlave (anonymous) says...
dundalk:
What part of Ron's post constitutes "bile"? And what "evidence" do you require? Unless I'm missing something, the only statement that could even remotely be considered provocative is "People just don't understand the amount of energy wrapped up in a loaded truck even when it's not going very fast."
If you need "evidence" of that, consult a high school physics textbook & reacquaint yourself with Newton's 1st and 2nd laws of motion.
We're just going to have to agree to disagree.
September 11, 2007 at 8:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fish (anonymous) says...
Please excuse dundalk for her c***, she is having an argument with id on another post and as we all know she is like a dog with a bone she can never let things go and move on.
I find it odd that dundalk would find it offensive to post about the dangers of something on a rememberence thread after her posts on the rememerance thread of the young people in oc. I guess it is a case of do as I say, not as I do.
September 11, 2007 at 9:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
katrinkakelly (anonymous) says...
God Bless the Truck Drivers who keep the cargo moving!
!!!PLEASE PLEASE !!!!
Coming off the top of any pass in a semi, loaded or not, use a gear that will hold back your truck to 30mph "WITHOUT" using the brakes and stay in it all the way down.
An extra ten minutes to get off the mountain is worth it.
True, the top of this pass has long curves, a straightaway and then very tight curves at the bottom. Drivers are not aware of the change coming down unless they have drove it before.
September 11, 2007 at 12:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
id04sp (anonymous) says...
Dundalk,
Just for the record, I think it's terrible to charge the driver with causing a death by careless driving. What evidence did the CSP use to come up with its conclusion?
Speed, weather and alcohol were ruled out as contributing factors. What's left? Probably an overloaded trailer or bad brakes on the trailer. That goes back to the high school physics lesson. If you've ever pulled a heavy trailer without onboard brakes, you can feel it behind you when you try to stop. I had a U-Haul jackknife me on an icy road one night when the wheels of my tow vehicle slid. If there's enough momentum in the trailer to overcome the friction of the tow vehicle tires, the trailer will start pushing the tractor through the hitch and the driver is just along for the ride. Sounds like that's pretty much what happened in this accident.
September 11, 2007 at 2:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
readbot42 (anonymous) says...
Thank you id04sp for the honest and insightful view. It was a terrible accident and it is refreshing to hear people who have genuine concern, rather than seeking to blame "someone," or "something." This tragedy doesn't need to be compounded.
September 11, 2007 at 7:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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