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Fort Lewis graduate, activist dies in collision
3 children airlifted to Denver hospital
Herald Staff Writer
Photo by Courtesy of Sam Hotchkiss
Cassandra Yazzie-Hotchkiss and Jason Hotchkiss take a trip down the Animas River after their wedding in August 2007.
Memorial Fund
A memorial fund for the family has been established at Wells Fargo Bank in Durango. Donations should be made in the name of the Yazzie-Hotchkiss/Hotchkiss Memorial Fund.
Letters, cards or gifts can be sent to the children at 13123 East 16th Ave., Aurora, CO 80045.
For more information and directions to the burial, go to
Yazzie-Hotchkiss was married to Jason Hotchkiss, who was not in the vehicle. Three of the couple's young children - Noah Hotchkiss, Amada Hotchkiss and Dante Hawkins - were seriously injured in the crash, which occurred Monday afternoon near Colorado Highway 172 and County Road 311.
According to family members, a truck heading the other direction crossed into her lane near Oxford and collided head-on with her vehicle.
The accident investigation was being handled by tribal police with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Calls for information about the crash were not returned.
The three children were airlifted from Durango to Denver, where they were being treated at Children's Hospital.
Sam Hotchkiss, Jason's brother, said that Dante, who is in elementary school, suffered various broken bones and a head injury, which had prompted doctors to keep him in an induced coma while the swelling in his brain recedes.
Hotchkiss said the damage to Dante's brain was still being determined.
Noah, 11, suffered spinal injuries and currently has no movement in his legs, and Amada, 9, suffered a broken leg and arm and injuries to her face which required plastic surgery.
"Her prognosis is very good," Hotchkiss wrote in an e-mail.
Family members described Jason Hotchkiss as being "shattered" by the accident.
Yazzie-Hotchkiss graduated from FLC in May this year with a degree in political science.
While at the school, she started Small Axe, Small Steps, a group dedicated to working on environmental and social justice issues, particularly within Native American communities.
Chris Jocks, who was a faculty adviser for the group, said Yazzie-Hotchkiss had the unique ability to inspire people.
"She just had a way of really getting people involved. She would come up with really great ideas and then she'd just recruit people," he said. "Suddenly, we were spending all kinds of time on it."
Yazzie-Hotchkiss also had volunteered for Our Sister's Keeper, a tribal coalition that provides assistance to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
In a statement heralding her accomplishments, the organization recognized Yazzie-Hotchkiss' rise from a hard-scrabble youth that included foster homes and living on the streets in Albuquerque.
"What drives a person to continue to pursue her goals even when the odds are against her? It takes a special person to do just that, and Cassandra Yazzie-Hotchkiss was that survivor who conquered all the evils and became a wonderful human being," the statement said.
In her graduation announcement she wrote, "One day long ago, I shouted out in desperation to the world for guidance and direction. Today, I know where I came from and how I got there."
Yazzie-Hotchkiss and Hotchkiss, a former river guide who has been in Durango for more than a decade, came to their marriage in August 2007 with children from previous marriages.
Before her death, the couple had been working on the Four Rivers Institute, an organization that aims to empower Native American students through professional adventure training. Hotchkiss is the executive director.
Yazzie-Hotchkiss will be buried at her uncle's ranch in New Mexico. A service will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday. A reception will be held after at 2 p.m. at the Red Rock Chapter House outside of Gallup.
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Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 8:34:23 PM
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Herb Lady of Durango says...
This article brought tears to my being. It saddens me when death occurs in a manner that just in so understood. I pray that the Divine Spirits and God watch over this family and these children that are struggling for their own personal lives. My family and I pray for your family. Warm Regards, Herb Lady of Durango Family, Jennifer PreVost-Morse, Jarod Morse, Ernest Sinclair & John PreVost.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 2:30:19 PM
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Mz. Taylor says...
After reading this tragic story my heart hurt im sad for the 2 families involved in this tragic scenery and i pray for the children affected by this. I hope they pull thru and recovery. I'm saddened to know a young lady who made a difference who came from struggling to overcome the hardship to being a leader and with one mistake she was taking. I worry all the time when i get on the road, I may be the safest driver but its the other person you have to worry about. People really need to slow down and take time to becareful out on the roads. I to am a mother of 3 and it worries me everytime i go out on the road and i hope something does get done about this. This is a great loss to our community I seen the ambulance that tragic day going on 172 the first thing that came to mind was oh god who is it now. I have such great family when news got out that it was a head on i was getting calls "where are you". It just a saddness knowing these babies are not going to have there mother there to guide them. I too lost my mother at a young age same situation car accident i was only 9. So with that said I pray for these people in mourning.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 12:56:59 PM
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Matt says...
@ Jasmine: I completely agree with your comments. As you say, its time to improve things roadwise around here, and not wait until consequences like these have been suffered.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 11:33:03 AM
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Jazz says...
@ Matt Yoder- even with people who have a license to drive; they aren't necessarily able to do so in a safe manner. I'd like to see some major improvements on roads in the area. Center dividers would be good, as well as more clearly marked center lines (with the bumps you can see at night) would be a good start. Also some new signs; a lot in the area are dirty and faded and almost impossible to read at nighttime. This all costs money, but so do accidents.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 10:30:13 AM
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Concerned So. Ute says...
My heart goes out to the Hotchkiss & Yazzie families - as well as Cassandra's & Jason's friends. I'm deeply saddened by this tragedy & I pray that the healing begins with the children & all those who were affected by this.
I have to agree with Tammy - I live close to Oxford too & I take CR 513 (Oxford north county road from the sharp turn that Cassandra lost her life on) every day to work & going home. EVERY DAY, I watch cars zoom through that turn - and I've seen where some cars & trucks come to a screeching halt because someone like myself, are turning onto the county roads 311 & 513, because they're going too fast, distracted, etc. There's been numerous accidents there & several fatalities. What's it going to take before something is done there!?! C-DOT and/or county: post some signs!, something that gets these drivers attention to SLOW DOWN. Now that there is a trucking company just right north of that turn on CR 513? It poses a problem - and for those truck drivers' safety as well, this needs to be addressed! It angers me so much now that such a beautiful talented & gifted woman & loving mother is gone. DO SOMETHING C-DOT & LaPlata Co.!!!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 8:09:09 AM
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Matt says...
How many "accidents" that occur from someone crossing into opposing lanes of traffic are we willing to accept in our community? How many times has this been given as the reason for fatality casing accidents this year alone? More attention needs to be paid in our community to who we allow on our roads, and what punishments they receive as a result of their crimes.
State wide it was recently reported over a quarter million drivers in CO do not have the right to drive, and they account for over 25% of all fatality accidents in CO. Why is this such a low priority? We even rank behind NM when it comes to our citizen's driving skills. Are we a third world entity now as a state? What are we going to do to address this situation? Just let it get worse?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 7:33:47 AM
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Amanda says...
So sad to hear the loss. Our hearts go out to those who loss! She seemed remarkable!