Two Killed in Highway 34 Crash Near Greeley

Denver man arrested on vehicular homicide, drug DUI charges

By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

GREELEY — Two people were killed Sunday evening in a crash at U.S. Highway 34 and Weld County Road 17 after police say a driver ran a red light at high speed and struck their vehicle.

Greeley Police officers responded to the intersection at approximately 5:05 p.m. Aug. 30.

Witnesses told investigators that a Toyota RAV4 traveling east on Highway 34 had been driving erratically and passing other vehicles on the shoulder. Police said the driver then used the right shoulder to pass traffic stopped at a red light at Weld County Road 17.

According to police, the RAV4 entered the intersection at a high rate of speed against the red light and struck the side of a northbound Toyota Corolla.

The male driver and female passenger in the Corolla were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities had not been released pending notification of their families by the Weld County Coroner’s Office.

Police identified the RAV4 driver as 35-year-old Jesse Andersen of Denver.

Immediately following the collision, Andersen barricaded himself inside the RAV4, according to police. Officers removed him from the vehicle and transported him to a local hospital for a medical evaluation.

Andersen was subsequently booked into the Weld County Jail on two counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving and driving under the influence of drugs, according to Greeley Police.

The charges are allegations, and Andersen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The crash closed westbound Highway 34 between Weld County Road 17 and Colorado Highway 257 for approximately five hours while investigators worked at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Greeley Police Officer Josh Franklin at [email protected].

Source: Greeley Police Department