Pregnant woman dies when SUV plunges off I-70
By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 03:37 p.m., May 13, 2008
Updated 08:38 a.m., May 16, 2008
A seven-month pregnant woman died today when the SUV she was riding in swerved off a snow-packed Interstate 70 and rolled down an embankment.
Analisette Sapien, described as a Frisco resident in her mid-20s, was unbuckled in the backseat of a white Nissan Pathfinder that lost control and rolled several times, landing on its side 311 feet down the slope, according to the State Patrol and the Summit County Coroner's Office.
Sapien was partially ejected from the tumbling SUV, State Trooper Ryan Sullivan said.
The solo-vehicle crash happened about 8 a.m. three miles from the Eisenhower Tunnel entrance.
Sapien was pronounced dead at Summit Medical Center. The baby didn't survive, the coroner said.
The driver, Jose Bucio, 28, of Frisco, sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Summit Medical Center. Another passenger, Livia Fuentes-Meza, 33, of Frisco, suffered serious injuries and was taken to the same hospital.
Both survivors were wearing seat belts.
State Patrol officials said the accident underscores the importance of using safety belts and driving cautiously in bad weather.
"The driver lost control on the snow-packed road," State Trooper Ryan Sullivan said.
The tragedy occurred as nearly 100 Colorado law enforcement agencies participate in a national Click It or Ticket campaign to encourage seat-belt safety.
State officials stressed the life-saving value of buckling up. Nationwide, 77 percent of passengers who were involved in a traffic crash when buckled up survived in 2006.
Increased seat-belt use cut the number of unrestrained motorist fatalities in Colorado to an all-time low last year.
In 2007, more than 65 percent of the 206 unbuckled motorists who died in Colorado were partially or totally ejected from the vehicle, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Only 6 percent of victims wearing seat belts were ejected.
Colorado has a secondary enforcement law for adult drivers and front-seat passengers. Drivers can be ticketed for violating the seat belt law, only if they are stopped for another traffic violation.
In the current enforcement campaign, drivers who are stopped for a traffic violation -- such as speeding and aggressive driving -- who aren't using a seat belt will be ticketed.
PRESS RELEASE WITH CORRECTION FROM COLORADO STATE PATROL
Date: 5-15-08
Time: 8:40 P.M.
Location: Eastbound lanes of Colorado 70 at Milepost 212 (Summit County)
The Colorado State Patrol is committed by providing the motoring public and the citizens that they serve with the highest and most factual information in a timely manner and after further investigation it has been discovered that the name of one of the restrained passengers has been identified as Livia Fuentes-Meza, 33 of Frisco, CO. The initial report identified the name of this passenger as Zulma Fuller.
Fuentes-Meza sustained serious injuries while involved in a one car rollover crash on Colorado 70 on 5-13-08 at approximately 8:10 A.M.
The incident, however took the life of Analisette M. Sapien, 27 of Frisco, CO. another passenger within the Nissan Pathfinder. Sapien sustained injuries and was transported to the Summit Medical Center and was later pronounced dead by an attending medical physician.
This incident is still under investigation.
Next of kin have been notified.
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May 13, 2008
4:10 p.m.
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JustSayin writes:
"The woman's death comes as nearly 100 Colorado law enforcement agencies participate in a national Click It or Ticket campaign to encourage seat-belt safety....." blah blah blah.
It would be refreshing to see reporters report stories as they happen, and only the stories, without padding a good half of their articles with propaganda filler supplied by the State Patrol or others.... Every "news" organization this week (DP, RMN, 2, 4,7, 9 31, etc.) will supply us with this same b.s.
May 13, 2008
4:15 p.m.
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forwhatitis writes:
Kinda like watching a NASCAR driver interview, isn't it?
May 13, 2008
4:17 p.m.
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PajamaPulitzer writes:
Death by Global Warming.
May 13, 2008
5:10 p.m.
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blacksho89 writes:
Look, moron: Seatbelts save lives.
No more to say.
May 13, 2008
5:35 p.m.
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nonayerbsns writes:
Blacksho89 - you are a sad little person.
May 13, 2008
10:35 p.m.
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TLM80209 writes:
How many lives have to be lost on this stretch of unsafe highway before CDOT puts up a STUPID GUARD RAIL??!!!
May 14, 2008
12:28 a.m.
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happymike44 writes:
I have never ever driven without a seatbelt on.I do not understand how someone can drive/ride in a car and not wear one.It takes 10 seconds to put on and ten seconds to unhook.What is the big deal?To the family I am sorry for your loss.Sometimes it is just fate.May you be watched over during your trying time.
May 14, 2008
11:49 a.m.
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dgroves writes:
When lawmakers require motorcyclists to practice safe driving habits then they can move on to cars. Until then, don't be hypocrites. If I choose to wear my seat belt its because I want to, not because the nanny state laws tell me to. Hasn't anyone every heard of population control. With reguards to this story. God bless that lady and her baby. They are both at peace together.