By Kelly Reinke, Angela Case | Denver Gazette (via 9News)
The semi-truck driver who was arrested after a fatal crash on Highway 285 last week was in the United States without proper documentation and had previously been removed from the country multiple times, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Colorado State Patrol said Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, 47, was arrested on vehicular homicide and vehicular assault charges after the crash Tuesday afternoon on Highway 285 near Conifer. CSP said Cruz-Mendoza’s semi went off the edge of the road, rolled onto its side and dumped its load of pipe and angle iron on top of five other vehicles.
The driver of one of those vehicles, 64-year-old Scott Miller of Bailey, died on the scene. Another driver suffered serious injuries.