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Victim in fatal I-70 crash in Vail identified

VAIL – The 29-year-old man who was killed in a motor vehicle accident on Christmas Day has been identified as Manuel Urquidi of Las Vegas.

Urquidi died from injuries sustained in the crash, which happened around 3:30 p.m. Saturday when he lost control of the SUV he was driving eastbound on Interstate 70 near East Vail. He was ejected from the vehicle when it rolled over into the westbound lanes. Police suspect Urquidi was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.-

A passenger identified as Adriana Villegas, 24, also from Las Vegas, was trapped inside the wreckage until emergency responders, using the “jaws of life,” freed her from the SUV. Villegas was taken to Vail Valley Medical Center, where she remains in stable condition. Four children also riding in the vehicle were treated at Gypsum Urgent Care clinic. Three have been released and one was taken to Vail Valley Medical Center for observation. Police report that three of the children also may not have been wearing seatbelts.



Interstate 70 westbound was closed for about two hours while emergency responders cared for the victims and police gathered evidence. Vail Police continue to investigate the accident and say that alcohol may have been a factor.-It may be some time before the cause of the crash is established, police said.


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