In Brief: Fatal car crash in Carbondale

Carbondale women who died in crash ID’d

Two Carbondale women were killed in a single-vehicle crash that occurred on Cattle Creek Road north of Carbondale late the night of Nov. 17, which has been under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol and Garfield County Coroner’s Office.

Coroner Robert Glassmire confirmed this week that Lana Jeffryes, 56, and Amanda Toft-David, 40, both of Carbondale, died in the crash, which wasn’t discovered until the following morning.

The Colorado State Patrol was called to the scene about 6.5 miles up Cattle Creek Road (Garfield County Road 113) around at 9 a.m. on Nov. 18, and the Coroner’s Office was summoned a short time later.

A CSP spokesman said that a 2020 Toyota SUV rolled off County Road 113 onto its hood landing in Cattle Creek. The crash remains under investigation by CSP.

“Mrs. Jeffryes and Mrs. Toft-David were friends,” Glassmire said in a news release. “The crash is believed to have occurred sometime in the late evening hours of Nov. 17, 2022.” 

The Coroner’s Office contracted forensic pathologist performed autopsies on both victims. The cause of death is pending further investigation, Glassmire said, and the manner of death is being investigated as an accident.  

Remembering Robbie Wade on Summit for Life

Twenty years after the passing of Robbie Wade, the Ute Mountaineer team for the Summit for Life will nighttime uphill race on Aspen Mountain on Dec. 3.

After the experience of losing his son and learning of the lives Robbie impacted by choosing to be an organ donor, Ute Mountaineer Founder Bob Wade joined the Chris Klug Foundation as a board member. The foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting organ and tissue donation as well as improving the quality of life for those touched by organ donation. 

Summit for Life is an event dedicated to bringing awareness to organ donation and celebrating donors and recipients. This nighttime uphill race on Aspen Mountain is known as the Kickoff to Winter.

Grand Mesa Nordic ski race series to begin

The Grand Mesa Nordic Council’s 2022/23 ski race series will be starting on Saturday, Dec. 3, with the Winterstart 5K.

The Winterstart 5K will include a 5K classic race and a 5K freestyle race, both on the same course. Participants will pay just one race fee for entry into one or both races. This race, and all races in the series, will take place at Skyway Trailhead located off of Highway 65 on Grand Mesa.

Race-series organizer and long-time council board member Tom Ela said, “Our races are challenging for the top athletes but also fun for the rest of us who just want to get out and test ourselves against an enjoyable course.”

Skiers of all levels and abilities are welcome to participate in any of the organization’s races. There will be five other races in the series, and details can be found at http://www.gmnc.org.

The race entry fee is $30 for non-members and $25 for council members. Registration can be
done online at https://gmnc.org/event/winterstart-5km-5km-race/ or on the day of the event by
cash or check.

Poaching investigated in San Miguel County

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are investigating several recent cases of poaching in San Miguel County.

The incidents, which happened between Oct. 30 and Nov. 16, involve three cases of poaching mule deer buck in the Dry Creek Basin area, two bull elks in the Dan Noble State Wildlife Area south of Norwood, and a bull elk and two cow elks in the Callan Draw area southwest of Norwood, according to the CPW.

“All of these animals were found shot and left to waste,” CPW Area Wildlife Manager Rachel Sralla stated in a news release. “This is an egregious violation of Colorado’s laws surrounding hunting and fishing, which require hunters to prepare game meat for human consumption.”

Evidence has been collected and an investigation is ongoing, the release stated. Anyone with information on the incidents, or on suspects, is asked to call Mark Caddy, district wildlife manager, at 970-209-2368; or call Tony Bonacquista, DWM, 970-209-2374. Tips can also be left with Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648 and by email at game.thief@state.co.us.

Vail Valley Jet Center lauded for green efforts

“Private air travel” and “sustainability” don’t often appear in the same sentence. But, the Vail Valley Jet Center is making some significant improvements.

The Jet Center, which hosts private aviation at the Eagle County Regional Airport, was recently honored with a Climate Action Award from Walking Mountains Science Center.

Jet Center General Manager Paul Gordon outlined a number of steps the facility is taking on the road to carbon neutrality.

Part of the effort includes the availability of jet fuel made from a mixture of kerosene and animal tallow. That mix is similar to “bio-diesel” fuel used in ground vehicles.

Diesel-powered vehicles at the Jet Center now use bio-diesel fuel blends.

Gordon said the biggest problem with the sustainable jet fuel is availability.

“We’re selling as much as we can get,” he said.

The vehicles in the Jet Center’s fleet are also a big part of the sustainability efforts.

Gordon said electric vehicles and low-emission vehicles now make up more than half of the Jet Center’s ground-support equipment. That switch is estimated to reduce those vehicles’ carbon-dioxide emissions by about 150 metric tons per year.