I-70 accident victim identified

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — A man who died in a rollover accident on Interstate 70 Sunday afternoon outside of Parachute has been identified as Charles Maxey, 61, of Thornton, Colo.

Garfield County Deputy Coroner Chandra Mortensen released the man’s identity after authorities were able to notify the man’s family. She said a passenger, whose identity hasn’t been released, was still in intensive care Tuesday morning.

The Colorado State Patrol said the single-vehicle rollover happened at about 3 p.m. Sunday in the westbound lanes of I-70 between DeBeque and Parachute. Emergency responders found a 1994 Jeep Cherokee north of the westbound lanes with “extensive damage,” the patrol said in a news release.

Maxey and a female passenger were ejected from the vehicle. Maxey was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, and the woman was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction and treated for serious injuries. Further information about the passenger was unavailable.

Investigators determined the Jeep was approaching a curve to the left when it drifted into the left lane before over-correcting to the right and rolling once. Alcohol is being investigated as a possible factor in the crash, the patrol said.

pfowler@postindependent.com