A pre-dawn accident Monday on Interstate 76 near Sterling involving a van packed full of 20 Mexican nationals left six people dead and 14 injured, 7News reported. View the wreckage from the crash The Colorado State Patrol said that the accident occurred about 4:15 a.m., along a snowy eastbound stretch of I-76 near Crook, Colo. Officials said that the van was likely moving less than 20 miles-per-hour on the freeway because of the icy conditions. A semi truck tried to pass the van and lost control, sliding into the van and causing it to roll over, officials said. Six men in the van were killed, the state patrol said. Another 10 victims remained hospitalized Monday evening, with two of those in critical condition. The driver of the semi was treated and released. He was not immediately identified. The trucking company was based in Minnesota, the state patrol said. 7News reporter Ronda Scholting said that the people in van were being smuggled to Chicago from Mexico. The van was carrying men, women and one infant. The van trip originated in Phoenix, Ariz., and was destined for Chicago, according to the state patrol. Officials at the Immigration And Naturalization Service said that smugglers are using more rural routes to transport undocumented immigrants because of recent crackdowns by immigration officials. Smugglers are typically paid between $1,500 and $3,000 to transport Mexican nationals. It was not known if a smuggler was among the passengers in the van, the INS said. The interstate was closed for more than five hours after the accident. In all, eight people died in traffic accidents that could be blamed on the late-winter weekend storm. Previous Story:

• March 12, 2001: I-76 Accident Results In Multiple Fatalities, Injuries