MEEKER I Just before midnight on Friday, a two-car accident occurred on Rio Blanco County Road 13 (Flag Creek Road) injuring three Meeker youths in the primary vehicle. The driver and passenger of the second vehicle, also Meeker youths, were uninjured.
Due to the age of most of those in the accident being 17 years old, the Colorado State Police could not release the names of the teens, but several other confirmations of the identities were available, including social media.
The primary vehicle, a 2003 Ford F-250 pickup truck reportedly driven by a 17-year-old Bradi Bland, was traveling northbound on Flag Creek Road. Also in the truck were two other youths, 17-year-old Tyler Ilgen and 18-year-old Cole Purcell.
The second vehicle, a 2012 Ford Taurus driven by a 17-year-old female of Meeker, was also traveling northbound on Flag Creek Road in front of the F-250. Also in the vehicle was a 17-year-old female passenger.
According to Colorado State Trooper Nathaniel Reid of CSP Public Affairs, the F-250 failed to negotiate through an S-curve at the 1.6 mile marker, traveled across the southbound lane, off the west edge of the road, and then back onto the road. Over-correcting, the truck traveled off the west edge of the road again, struck a fence, then rolled one and a quarter times, coming to rest on its left side, he said.
Bland, the driver of the F-250, and one of the passengers were reportedly not wearing their seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle during the rolling sequence.
Also during the crash, the truck impacted the Taurus on its left side. The Taurus then came to a controlled stop partially blocking the northbound lane of travel, Reid said.
According to Reid, the driver of the F-250 was transported by air to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction with serious injuries, and both passengers also sustained serious injuries. One was also transported to St. Mary’s, and the other was taken to Pioneers Medical Center in Meeker, Reid said.
Subsequently, independent sources said Bland was transported by air to Denver with critical injuries and Ilgen and Purcell were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction with serious injuries.
The cause of the accident is still being investigated, but “alcohol is being investigated as a factor,” Trooper Reid said. He was unsure on Monday about any charges that might be filed.
