A 26-year-old man died in a single-car crash Sunday night on U.S. Highway 160 west of Durango.

The crash occurred about 11:45 p.m. near milepost 65, in the Cherry Creek area about 8 miles west of Hesperus, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

The driver was identified as Jesus Arellano Ulloa, of Amarillo, Texas, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to the CSP.

His passenger, Erick Saucedo Ulloa, 29, also of Amarillo, escaped with minor injuries.

Jesus Ulloa was driving a 1999 white Honda Accord west on Highway 160 when he lost control of the vehicle and spun counterclockwise into the oncoming lane of traffic, hitting a guardrail at least twice before traveling off a steep embankment and colliding with a tree, said Trooper Dustin Moore, with the State Patrol.

The vehicle came to rest with its wheels in an irrigation ditch.

Road conditions were mostly clear but had just turned icy near Mancos Hill, where the crash occurred, Moore said. He suspects the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed without any issues until he hit icy patches.

Based on the amount of damage to the vehicle and how far it traveled off the road, excessive speed is believed to be the primary cause of the crash, he said.

“There was definitely ice on the roads – definitely weather and contributed to it – but I'd say the main factor is probably the speed, just going too fast,” Moore said.

Jesus Ulloa, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle.

It was unknown if the passenger was wearing a seat belt.

Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected.

The CSP believes the Jesus Ulloa and Erick Ulloa were in Southwest Colorado doing a construction job in Cortez, but their primary address is in Texas.

The CSP closed one lane of travel for about 20 minutes while recovering the vehicle, but the highway remained open.

shane@durangoherald.com