BREAKING: Highway Patrol Identifies Motorcycle Crash Victims
The Wyoming Highway Patrol identified the three people who died in a crash between Cody and Yellowstone National Park on Thursday, according to a news release from Patrol Sgt. David Wagener.
They are Tino Cachey, a 53-year-old male; Ute Cachey, a 52-year-old female; and Erik Brecht, a 37-year-old male) have been identified as the fatalities from this crash.
They are German national residents. The news release did not identify their home cities.
The crash involved a group of six motorcycles with nine riders and a pickup. Five of the six motorcycles were involved in the crash.
The motorcycles were traveling west on U.S. Highway 14/16/20.
The pickup was driven by Manuel Defuentes, 61, of Ontario, Ore., who was traveling east.
The vehicles met in a gradual curve in the highway.
Defuentes' truck crossed the centerline, entered the westbound lane, and struck the five motorcycles with seven riders.
The majority of the riders involved in the crash were wearing helmets. The Highway Patrol is investigating whether all the riders were wearing helmets.
The four non-fatal riders were taken to West Park Hospital in Cody. Three of them were then airlifted to Billings. The fourth was treated at West Park Hospital and released.
Those airlifted to Billings are Frank Brecht, a 47-year-old male from Buch Gannertshofen, Germany; Dieter Brecht, a 65-year-old male from Ludwigshafen, Germany; and Renate Geiger, a 44-year-old female from Buch Gannertshofen.
Christine Mueller was the rider who was treated and released from West Park Hospital.
Manuel Defuentes, who was wearing his seat belt, was transported to West Park Hospital where he was treated and released.
Defuentes has been arrested, charged with one count of negligent vehicular homicide, and booked in the Park County Detention Center in Cody.
Additional charges are pending.
The Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.