Colorado Resident Dead Following Wyoming Crash
A Colorado resident is dead following a two-vehicle crash in eastern Wyoming late last week.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol says in a crash report that it's unknown whether 28-year-old Chea Johns, the person who died as a result of the crash, was wearing a seat belt or other safety equipment at the time.
According to the report, a GMC pickup was southbound on U.S. 85 near Lusk at milepost 179.8, while a Ram pickup was northbound, shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday, June 7.
The Patrol says that evidence at the scene and witness statements indicated the GMC pickup crossed into the northbound lane. It is unclear whether Johns was an occupant of the GMC or the Ram pickup.
After the GMC crossed the centerline, the driver of the Ram steered toward the ditch in order to avoid a head-on collision. The GMC pickup first contacted the Ram pickup near the driver-side door, in an opposite-direction sideswipe collision.
As the GMC continued down the side of the Ram pickup, it hit a large slide-in camper in the bed of the Ram. The front edge of the camper that extended outside the box of the Ram hit the GMC pickup and significantly intruded into the GMC.
The two vehicles maintained contact as the GMC then hit a boat and boat trailer being towed by the Ram. After the vehicles separated, the GMC crossed the northbound lane and came to rest in the northbound borrow ditch.
The boat and boat trailer separated from each other, coming to rest separately in the northbound borrow ditch. The driver of the Ram pickup lost control, and the pickup made a 3/4 roll before coming to rest on the left side of the roadway.
Driver inattention and cell phone use are listed as possible contributing factors. Two people were not injured in the crash.