Deadly Snowplow Crash Leaves Father Dead, Injures Youth Hockey Players En Route to Tournament

A Colorado snowplow driver crashed into a Sprinter van carrying a girls hockey team, sending it down an embankment, killing a father behind the wheel and injuring nearly eight children, according to authorities.

On April 9, 29-year-old Colton Wiedman was charged with one count of careless driving resulting in death, four counts of careless driving causing serious bodily injury, three counts of careless driving causing bodily injury, and failure to stay in his lane, Law&Crime reported.

Wiedman was reportedly driving a snowplow for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

On January 29 at around 8:53 a.m., the Colorado State Patrol responded to a fatal crash on eastbound I-70 at milepost 218.

Investigators say the driver of a CDOT plow lost control, crossed the median, broke through a cable barrier, and entered the eastbound lanes. The plow struck a Toyota Tacoma traveling eastbound, sending it back across the median where it collided with a BMW in the westbound lanes.

The plow continued eastbound and then struck a Sprinter van carrying a hockey team from California. “The CDOT plow came to rest on the shoulder,” investigators said.

Eight people — including five juveniles and three adults — were transported to a local hospital. One child was reportedly airlifted to the hospital in critical condition, while four children and three adults were also hospitalized with lesser injuries.

The driver of the van, 38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas, died in the crash. He was driving the Lady Flyers 12AA hockey team to participate in a WGHL weekend in Colorado.

The children were part of the 12AA Lady Flyers hockey team.

In a statement on Instagram, Prescott Littlefield said, “This is a message I never imagined I would send. I’m writing to confirm that there was a terrible accident this morning in Colorado involving members of our Lady Flyers 12AA team.”

“Words cannot express the heartbreak we are experiencing. Please hold these families in your prayers. As we receive more information on how we can help, I will keep everyone informed.”

Villegas’ family set up a GoFundMe page, where they described him as a “hero and the epitome of what an amazing man, father, partner and friend should be.”

“He was the most thoughtful, loving and supportive man to his soulmate Amornrat (April) Guidry, and the most caring, involved, fun, kind and loving parent to his daughter Brody,” the statement read. “He was a family man to the core, and a wonderful son to his mother and best brother to his sisters and brother.”

Villegas was a tattoo artist and owner of Rare Hearts Tattoo Club. The family said funds raised will go toward funeral expenses, with any remaining money supporting his daughter.

“We are raising funds to bring Manny home and to cover his funeral expenses. Any leftover funds will be to relieve any further financial burden for his daughter Brody. Please help in any way you can,” the statement added.