Christopher Johnson,Quentin Romero Obituary, Death; – Officials have confirmed the identities of the three individuals who lost their lives in a multi-vehicle accident within a tunnel in Wyoming, involving a total of 26 vehicles.
The deceased are Christopher Johnson, 20, and Quentin Romero, 22, both from Rawlins, Wyoming, and Harmanjeet Singh, 30, from Nova Scotia, Canada. They succumbed to their injuries at the scene of the accident on Friday, as reported in a statement released on Tuesday by the Wyoming Department of Transportation and the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
Darin Westby, director of WDOT, expressed condolences, stating, “Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to the community of Rawlins and to the families, friends, and loved ones of all three of these individuals.”
Additionally, 18 individuals received treatment for injuries sustained in the incident at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in Rock Springs, although their current conditions have not been disclosed.
The accident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Friday, igniting a fire within the tunnel that resulted in the destruction of six commercial vehicles and two passenger vehicles.
According to Wyoming Highway Patrol Maj. James Thomas, two of the deceased were located in their vehicle outside the tunnel, while the third was discovered inside the tunnel itself.
“Given the complexities surrounding this incident, off-scene investigations and crash reconstructions conducted by WHP are anticipated to take a considerable amount of time,” stated Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Tim Cameron. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we meticulously analyze all evidence to construct an accurate narrative and determine the cause of the crash.”
Weather conditions are being examined as a potential contributing factor, as the area experienced snowfall and icy conditions at the time of the accident. The tunnel was closed over the weekend, with traffic being rerouted through the city of Green River. Preparations are underway to redirect traffic through the eastbound tunnel later this week.
On Sunday, the Wyoming Highway Patrol completed the removal of all vehicles from the westbound side of the tunnel. Crews are currently engaged in cleaning debris and soot from the westbound tunnel, which will require an extensive restoration process before it can be reopened.
