Green River Fire Department personnel assist in getting a critical patient into a medical helicopter to be transported for further care after a multiple-vehicle crash.
Two vehicle accidents in Sweetwater County last week led to multiple injuries and one death.
A fatal crash occurred at milepost 506 on US 191 south of Rock Springs in the early morning hours of June 19, according to a press release from Wyoming Highway Patrol. Around 2:47 a.m., Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers were notified of a one-vehicle rollover. A 2006 Nissan Altima was headed north on US 191. The driver of the Nissan could not maintain his travel lane, causing the vehicle to exit the west side of the road and overturn.
The driver of the Nissan has been identified as 18-year-old Rock Springs resident Jaquan T. Lyons Smith. The adult passenger was wearing a seatbelt and has been identified as 18-year-old Rock Springs resident Gaige D. Olsen. Lyons Smith and three juvenile passengers were not wearing seatbelts. Lyons Smith, Olsen, and one juvenile passenger were transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County for injuries sustained in the crash. One juvenile was transported by medical helicopter to the University of Utah for injuries from the crash. The third juvenile has been identified as a 15-year-old occupant who was fatally injured.
Impairment, speed, and driver inattention are being investigated as possible contributing factors.
This is the 42nd fatality on Wyoming's roadways in 2022 compared to 44 in 2021, 42 in 2020, and 75 in 2019 to date.
Another accident occurred June 22 involving multiple vehicles but not resulting in any fatalities according to a press release from the Green River Fire Department.
At approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday June 22 Green River Fire Department (GRFD) was dispatched along with Castle Rock Ambulance (CRA) to a multiple-vehicle accident with multiple injuries reported on I80 at mile marker 66.
Upon arrival, Wyoming State Highway Patrol Troopers along with Sweetwater County Sheriffs had the scene contained with traffic being diverted around the wreckage. GRFD Co-Chief Bill Robinson along with CRA staff started to assess the scene and it was quickly determined patient extrication was needed along with multiple air med units.
GRFD Rescue crew led by Captain Austin Rider took over rescue operations and assisted CRA crews with medical. With the assistance by law enforcement, two medical helicopters were successful in landing in different locations and were able to transport the two critical patients. Four other patients, including two juveniles who were ejected from the vehicle, were transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County for treatment and evaluation. All departments worked the scene for over four hours until complete.
Robinson stated that if it had not been for everyone from dispatch, fire, EMS, state troopers, sheriff, medical helicopter personnel, and hospital crews the outcome for all patients would have been very different.
"We are blessed in this community whether you live here, visiting, or just passing through, that all these entities work well and professionally with each other as they do," the press release stated. "GRFD would like to say thank you to Sweetwater Combined Communications Center, Wyoming State Highway Troopers, Sweetwater County Sheriff's, Castle Rock Ambulance, Sweetwater Medics, AirMed Teams, and Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County for all their help during this time."
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