Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the mile marker where the crash occurred and the nature of the injuries to the passengers.

U.S. Highway 40 over Rabbit Ears Pass reopened just after 3 p.m. Saturday after a single vehicle crash with a possibly hazardous-material spill had closed it for most of the day.

The crash occurred at 7:30 a.m. at mile marker 139 of U.S. 40 on the west side of the pass.

Omar Aldarraji, 30, of Denver, lost control while driving his Chevrolet van east. The vehicle ran off the left side of the road and rolled one time, according to a Colorado State Patrol news release.

Riding with Aldarraji was Salah Dakhel, 31, and Mahmud Bashir-Gendel, 44, both of Denver. The release stated neither of the passengers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

Bashir-Gendel was ejected from the vehicle as it rolled down the hill. All occupants were transported to Yampa Valley Medical Center with injuries.

Aldarraji was treated and released and Dakhel and Bashir-Gendel were admitted with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to State Patrol.

Aldarraji was issued a summons for careless driving causing bodily injury.

Upon arrival on the scene, Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue emergency responders discovered that a powdered cleaning solution had leaked from the vehicle.

Hazardous material teams from Colorado State Patrol and Craig Fire Rescue responded to to determine whether the substance was hazardous. Officials closed the highway from mile marker 139 west over the pass.

HAZ-MAT personnel determined there was no threat to the environment, people or livestock, according to State Patrol.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing. Roads were snowpacked and icy at the time of the accident, the release stated.