ELBERT COUNTY, Colo. — A young girl died Saturday evening after a wrong-way driver crashed into the car her father was driving.
Colorado State Patrol said the girl’s father Jared Purdy, 33, of Broomfield, was driving a white Toyota pickup in the westbound lanes of I-70 Saturday around 6 p.m. Purdy has been an employee with the Denver Police Department since 2006, the department confirmed Wednesday. Around the same time, a Toyota SUV driven by 68-year-old Gary Wayne Williams of Parker was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes. The car was carrying a U-Haul, said Cpl. Ivan Alvarado with CSP.
Near mile post 358, close to town of Limon, Williams’ car crashed into the pickup, he said.
The girl, 6, was killed in the crash. Purdy and Williams were both transported to Lincoln Community Hospital with serious injuries, said Trooper Josh Lewis with CSP.
According to Elbert County court documents, Williams was arrested on Monday and charged with child abuse knowingly or recklessly resulting in death, reckless driving causing vehicular homicide, reckless vehicular assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and divided highway violation.
His bond was set at $50,000.
There is no update on either of the drivers’ conditions available as of 1 p.m. Wednesday.
