Two people were killed in a head-on car crash Tuesday afternoon a couple of miles north of Durango on U.S. Highway 550.
One victim was identified as 44-year-old Durango resident Julie Ann Crow; the other was a 48-year-old Cortez man, said Capt. Adrian Driscoll, with the Colorado State Patrol.
The name of the second victim had not been released Tuesday evening pending notification of next of kin.
The highway was closed in both directions for about two hours. A single southbound lane reopened about 5 p.m., and the entire highway reopened by 5:30 p.m.
In the meantime, traffic was rerouted onto County Road 203 in the Animas Valley.
The crash occurred shortly after 3 p.m. when the Cortez man, driving a 2006 white Jeep Commander southbound, crossed the center line and struck a 2006 gray Dodge Charger driven by Crow.
Both drivers died at the scene; there were no other occupants in either vehicle, Driscoll said.
The Durango woman was wearing a seat belt; the Cortez man was not, he said.
Investigators were looking into the possibility that drugs or alcohol played a role, Driscoll said. Excessive speed does not appear to be a factor.
“I believe this was the first double fatality in La Plata County this year,” Driscoll said. “But we also had a double fatality in Montezuma County (on Monday), so it seems like a lot.”
A third vehicle veered into a ditch but did not collide with the other vehicles, he said.
The incident occurred just north of the Alpen Rose RV Park at 27847 Highway 550, near milepost 27.
In addition to the Colorado State Patrol, Durango Fire & Rescue Authority and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident.
shane@durangoherald.com
