Missed turn leads to tragedy for Thornton family in Weld County
6 relatives killed in collision near Labor Day party
By April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published September 2, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Yareli, 6; Jesus, 9 months; and Eddy Bencomo, 4, died in the crash.
Jamie Arais also was killed.
Jose Bencomo and his wife, Adriana Ronquillo, died.
Judy Dehaas / The Rocky
Rubi Ortiz, 15, left, Kizleth Rascon, 7; Yeltsin Dominguez, 11; and Daisy Loya, 26 - members of the extended family of Adriana Ronquillo and Jose Bencomo - look at photos of the couple, their children and Adriana's brother, Jaime Arais, who died Sunday.
Adriana Ronquillo and her young family were just 200 yards from a traditional Labor Day weekend gathering with relatives.
But one wrong turn on a fast- moving, two-lane rural highway ended in tragedy Sunday afternoon when a semi-truck broadsided the family's blue Oldsmobile minivan, killing all six people inside.
"She was driving and she passed the driveway," said Daisy Loya, 26, a family member. "She was talking on the cell phone with her sister-in-law, Patsy, trying to get directions. She made a U-turn to come back. I don't know why she didn't see the truck."
On Monday, nearly two dozen family members gathered at the home to mourn their relatives and to try to come to grips with their loss.
Driver error cited
The Colorado State Patrol identified the driver of the minivan as Ronquillo, 26, of Thornton. Also killed were her husband, Jose Bencomo, 33, and her brother, Jamie Arais, 28, of Phoenix, along with the couple's three children - Yareli, 6; Eddy, 4; and 9-month-old Jesus, who was born Nov. 25, 2007, the day his 87-year-old grandmother died.
The State Patrol responded to the crash around 1:25 p.m. Sunday on Weld County Road 49, a half-mile south of Weld County Road 22 near Hudson.
"The driver went past a family residence, pulled to the right side of the roadway attempting to make a U-turn and was broadsided by a 2003 Kenworth semi-truck northbound on Weld County Road 49," said State Patrol spokesman Cpl. Eric Wynn.
The driver of the gas tanker, Brian Wheele, 53 of Firestone, slammed on the brakes and skidded before impact. Officials said he was going the speed limit of 65 mph.
He was treated at North Colorado Medical Center for minor injuries.
Authorities blamed the crash on driver error, saying alcohol, drugs or speed do not appear to be contributing factors.
At the crash site someone erected a makeshift memorial using a Winnie-the-Pooh balloon and a simple black bucket filled with white, red and pink carnations.
The victims were on their way to a house-warming party at the home of Jose Bencomo's sister, who had moved into the brown brick ranch-style home along the rural stretch of County Road 49 three weeks ago, relatives said.
'It's like a nightmare'
"It was their first time coming to see the home," said Loya, Bencomo's cousin. "Jose's mother just keeps saying it's not possible. It's not possible. It's not true. It's like a nightmare. She wants to wake up and see her son again."
Memorial and funeral arrangements are pending.
The family is waiting for the Weld County coroner to release the bodies, Loya said.
The Thornton couple met eight years ago, not long after both had moved to Colorado. They are originally from Chihuahua in central Mexico.
Ronquillo stayed at home to raise the couple's three children. Bencomo, who was considered the comedian of the family, worked as a carpet installer for Home Depot in Thornton.
"She was caring and lovely," Loya said.
"Jose always made you laugh, even if you're tired and you don't want to. He always made you feel better."
Family members described the couple's three children as playful.
"I will remember how nice they all were," said a cousin Yeltsin Dominguez, 11. "They were so lovely and playful. They loved to be with all of us."
Post your comment
Registration is required. Click here to create your free user account, or login below.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.
Featured
-
Denver turns 150
Read about the city's history, look at old photos and see a list of influential Denverites.
-
Mount Crushmore
Which four Broncos greats should be immortalized on Mount Crushmore? Vote here.
-
Winter Escapes
Your insider’s guide to the copious joys of the coolest season.
-
Rocky Multimedia
The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on what's happening today.
-
Weekend plans?
Figure out things to do this weekend with the help of our entertainment calendar.
-
Bronco Dean's rant
Listen to Bronco Dean's pregame rant on the Raiders.
-
Season To Share
The Post-News Season To Share campaign provides grants to area nonprofits.
-
The Rocky @ 150 Years
The Rocky was there when Colorado became a state in 1876. Read our coverage.
-
A Dozen on Denver
And the winner is... Robert Ziegler! See the whole fiction series by clicking here.
September 2, 2008
5:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
karen7447 writes:
The sad but ugly truth of the matter is that people who use cell phones while driving have about the same accident rate as those who drive drunk. Talking on the phone while driving is a choice and this choice cost an entire family their lives. Our prayers go out not only for the family of the deceased, but for the trucker whose life has been forever altered by this event.
September 2, 2008
6:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
PonchoVia writes:
This is a horribly sad and tragic accident. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
September 2, 2008
7:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
vudumom writes:
There may have been 2 less deaths had there not been 9 people in a minivan that has seating and seatbelts for 7. Having 9 people in a vehicle meant for 7 is dangerous. A very sad story indeed.
September 2, 2008
7:36 a.m.
Suggest removal
kherb writes:
There were only 6 people in the van
September 2, 2008
10:04 a.m.
Suggest removal
ONEman writes:
Dudumom do you know how to count? I also have noticed that whenever the story is about Hispanics that you always have something negative to point out. Do you have a sympathetic bone in you body? You must live a real pathetic life and must be a real angry and cold.........dare I say person? No I like bich better.
September 2, 2008
11:39 a.m.
Suggest removal
SPL writes:
Terrible tragedy and another reason why using a cell phone whilst driving should be banned. I've nearly been hit several times this summer on my motorbike by inconsiderate drivers who are on phones, have no perception of other traffic and often veer wildly as they over correct their wandering vehicle.
Vudumom, what are you talking about? There were 6 people in the vehicle and all 6 were killed. Where did you get the figure 9 from?
September 2, 2008
11:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
AC writes:
SPL writes: "Vudumom, what are you talking about? There were 6 people in the vehicle and all 6 were killed. Where did you get the figure 9 from?"
She was reading the paper upside down.
September 2, 2008
11:56 a.m.
Suggest removal
vudumom writes:
The original reports were that there were 9 people in the van . All the news reports said there were 6 killed and 3 injured. All 3 news stations reported 9 in the van. I'm not sure if the RMN story is correct or not. Are they always correct?
September 2, 2008
12:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
Who_Me writes:
"She was talking on the cell phone with her sister-in-law, Patsy, trying to get directions. She made a U-turn to come back. I don't know why she didn't see the truck."
Don't know why? Yeah, that's a real mystery. Maybe because she was on the cell phone, wasn't paying attention, whipped around for a u-turn without even looking to see if someone was behind her. You see it all the time on the highway - someone yakking on the phone, totally oblivious to their surroundings. It's funny (not the ha-ha kind) watching people learn how to fly. The amount of usable brain power left over for speech drops way off when someone is trying to master flying, navigating, and talking on the radio at the same time. Even with driving being so second nature, many people cannot adequately divide their attention between a cell phone and basic driving skills. Tough price to pay in this case. Would you still want to live in that house after something like that took place right in front of it?
September 2, 2008
12:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
ONEman writes:
Dudumom writes The original reports were that there were 9 people in the van .
Never saw that report, I thimk to be a fireman you need to know how to count bodies. So I doubt you saw anything saying that,maybe your counting the truck driver and both vehicles were all in the van. Maybe you just live in your own idealistic world and see things through damaged emotions and distorted by an ignorant mindset. After reading your posts for bout a year now I'd say that is a lot more likely. What do all Mexicans have to pack in a vehicle everywhere they go? STFU lady.
September 2, 2008
2:59 p.m.
Suggest removal
Smurfy writes:
It easy to point the finger at other peoples mistakes, but the truth is it could have happen to any one. It was exactly what they say it was a Tragic Accident!!!!!!!!! Eveyone has a lasp in judgement. Best wishes to family, and I pray that this tragic accident does't scar the truck driver for life.
September 2, 2008
5:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
It wasn't just a tragic accident, SOMEONE WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO PROPERLY OPERATING A VEHICLE!!!
Cali has us beat in MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO HAVE A CELL PHONE PLASTERED TO YOUR EAR WHEN OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE!!
That truck driver ( I have family who did this for a living ) just might have nightmares for a long time...
My uncle did when some @sshole decided to pass at the wrong time on a two lane...
So this was just someone on a cell phone...causing mayhem on a highway...
And this is one of the reasons I will never carry an ELECTRONIC SLAVE COLLAR...
September 2, 2008
5:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
Who_Me writes:
"It was exactly what they say it was a Tragic Accident!!!!!!!!!"
No, a tragic accident is a bolt of lightening striking a dead tree and having the tree topple onto your car right as you are driving by. Insurance-wise, referred to as act of God. S happens. Getting creamed by a truck because you weren't paying attention is not an accident. That's like saying you have no control, and therefore, no responsibility about things that happen in your life. If you decide to stroll across I-25 at night and get killed, is that an accident? It may be tragic, but hardly an accident.
September 3, 2008
2:12 a.m.
Suggest removal
doreenstokes writes:
I agree that this was indeed very tragic. BUT I go along with careless driving using a cell phone. My personal belief, no cell phones at all while driving - hands on or hands off. Same thing with eating/drinking while driving and loud music contributes too.
My heart goes out to that family and the surviving relatives. Yes, I agree with those who stated that the driver of the truck has to live with this the rest of his life! What misery that will be. My prayers go out to all involved.
I have a mini-van that seats 7 comfortably and would never seat more than the allowed for capacity. You never know what could happen, even if you are just around the corner of your destination.