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2w ago

Death Toll Rises to 5 After 36‑Vehicle Dust ‘Brownout’ Pileup on Colorado’s I‑25 Near Pueblo

Investigators say a sudden dust brownout from powerful winds left drivers with almost no visibility.

4 Dead in Crashes Involving Over 30 Vehicles in ‘Brown Out’ Conditions on Colorado Interstate
Emergency personnel work the scene of a crash involving 30-plus vehicles including six semi trucks on Interstate 25 south of Pueblo, Colo., on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
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Emergency personnel work the scene of a crash involving 30-plus vehicles including six semi trucks on Interstate 25 south of Pueblo on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)

Overview

  • Colorado State Patrol reports 36 vehicles were involved, including 29 passenger vehicles and seven semis, in crashes near milepost 92 just after 10 a.m. Feb. 17.
  • Five fatalities are now confirmed after one hospitalized victim died overnight, with roughly 28–29 others transported to area hospitals and seven reported with serious injuries.
  • All northbound lanes reopened around 11:39 p.m. Tuesday after hours‑long closures; southbound lanes reopened earlier that afternoon following a separate property‑damage crash.
  • The CSP Vehicular Crimes Unit is leading the investigation, with visibility from wind‑blown dust identified as a key factor while other potential causes remain under review.
  • The coroner identified four victims as David L. Kirscht and Scott L. Kirscht of Walsenburg, Mary Sue Thayer of Rye, and Karen Ann Marsh of Pueblo, and a livestock trailer involved led to several animal deaths and rescues.