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Driver cited in four-vehicle pile-up

Aspen Times StaffAspen, CO Colorado
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BASALT Three vehicles stopped for a red light, and one didn’t, resulting in a four-vehicle, chain-reaction accident Tuesday afternoon on the Basalt Bypass, a Basalt police report said.The four vehicles were in the left downvalley-bound lane when they hit a red light at the traffic signal at upper Two Rivers Road and Highway 82, on the Elk Run side of the bypass. A Ford F-250 pickup hauling a construction trailer failed to stop before striking the vehicle in front of it, said Sgt. Mark Langford. The collision caused a chain reaction that affected two other vehicles.

Larry C. Davis, 53, of Carbondale, the driver of the pickup, was ticketed for following too closely, Langford said.No one was injured in the accident, although the Basalt fire department checked out the seven occupants of the four vehicles at the scene and released them.

There have been about six major accidents on Highway 82 in the Basalt and El Jebel area in the past month. Emergency responders said they cringe when they get a call, fearing that someone will get killed in heavy traffic involving high speeds.”People just need to slow down,” Langford said.



The accident happened around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday. Three vehicles, including the Ford F-250, had to be towed from the scene. The accident and cleanup snarled traffic for about an hour. Downvalley-bound traffic on the highway was reduced to one lane.Basalt Fire Chief Scott Thompson said 17 emergency responders answered the call in two fire engines and two ambulances. They checked the patients, cleaned the glass, vehicles fluids and debris, and helped with traffic control.