Single-vehicle crash on Vail Pass sends 2 to hospital and leaves dog missing

A single-vehicle accident that closed Interstate 70 on Vail Pass Wednesday sent two 19-year-old Denver residents to the hospital, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Master Trooper Gary Cutler said the driver of the Toyota 4-runner, a 19-year-old man from Denver, was cited with a driving infraction, a common occurrence when a passenger is injured. The passenger, a 19-year-old female also from Denver, has serious bodily injuries, Cutler said.

There was a dog in the vehicle at the time of the crash as well, Cutler said, and the dog was not located following the incident.

The dog is described as a small terrier mix, black and tan in color.

The crash occurred in the eastbound lanes of I-70 at mile marker 185 at about 1:10 p.m., Cutler said, blocking both lanes of the interstate in the eastbound direction. The highway remained closed until 2:28 p.m., Cutler said.

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Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor in the crash.

“There wasn’t any type of impairment,” Cutler said. “I’m not sure of the actual summons, but nine times out of 10 in an accident like this it’s careless/causing injury.”

While the skies were clear, “they did say there was icy roads at the time,” Cutler said.