LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The Latest on fatal pileup on Interstate 70 near Denver (all times local):

Transportation officials have reopened an interstate that was badly damaged by a fiery crash west of Denver.

The Colorado Department of Transportation opened Interstate 70 in both directions Friday night.

Police have said four people were killed on Thursday after a semi-truck plowed into vehicles on the interstate, causing a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off of cars. The vital east-west highway links the mountains with the eastern plains.

The truck driver, 23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide. He is scheduled to appear in court Saturday.

Colorado officials say they hope to reopen a major highway by Saturday morning after the interstate was badly damaged by a fiery crash near Denver.

Police have said four people were killed on Thursday after a semi-truck plowed into vehicles on Interstate 70, causing a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off of cars. The vital east-west highway links the mountains with the eastern plains.

Authorities re-opened the highway’s westbound lanes on Friday afternoon but said it will take crews at least until Saturday morning to repair the interstate’s eastbound lanes.

Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Josh Laipply says crews and contractors have been called in.

The truck driver, 23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide.

The truck driver suspected of killing four people in a fiery crash near Denver is expected to make his first court appearance on Saturday.

Authorities said Friday that Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos was arrested in Thursday’s rush hour crash on busy Interstate 70 based on interviews and evidence gathered by investigators.

He is being held on suspicion of vehicular homicide but prosecutors have not filed formal charges against him.

Jail records don’t indicate if he has a lawyer

The truck driver accused of killing four people in a fiery crash near Denver is a 23-year-old licensed operator from Texas.

Authorities said Friday that 23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos of Houston was arrested in Thursday’s rush hour crash on busy Interstate 70 based on interviews and evidence gathered by investigators.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman said there’s no indication the crash was intentional and says he has been cooperative. Police wouldn’t provide a hometown for him.

Jail records don’t indicate if he has a lawyer. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Saturday.

He is being held on suspicion of vehicular homicide but prosecutors have not filed formal charges against him.

Colorado officials say four people have died after a semi-truck hauling lumber plowed into vehicles on Interstate 70, causing a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off of cars.

Authorities had to wait until daylight Friday to confirm the death toll from Thursday’s 28-vehicle pileup because of the devastation caused by the fire.

Six people were taken to hospitals with injuries. Their conditions are unclear.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman says the driver of the truck who caused the crash sustained minor injuries. He has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide.

Officials say the driver was headed down a hill when he slammed into slower traffic. Countryman says there is no indication the crash was intentional.

A truck driver blamed for causing a deadly pileup involving over two dozen vehicles near Denver has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman said Friday that there’s no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in Thursday’s crash.

The unidentified driver was headed down a hill on Interstate 70 when he slammed into slower traffic and sparked a massive fire. Countryman said police are looking at whether his brakes were working properly.

He said 28 vehicles were involved, up from the initial 15 vehicles police reported after further sorting through the burned wreckage.

Police still say there were multiple fatalities but are still working to provide an exact number.

The highway is expected to remain closed until Saturday.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> DENVER — At least four people died when the driver of a semi plowed into stopped traffic along Interstate 70 near Denver, and that driver is being held on four counts of vehicular homicide, police said Friday.

The runaway semi hit several cars and trucks in Lakewood on Thursday, igniting a fiery crash. Twenty-eight vehicles were involved in the pileup: four of them semis and 24 cars, Lakewood Police Department Agent Ty Countryman told reporters.

Countryman said the driver of the semi is Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23. He has a commercial driver’s license out of Texas, Countryman said. Aguilera-Mederos is cooperating with investigators, he added.

Aguilera-Mederos was behind the wheel of a flatbed truck loaded with lumber and was injured in the crash, but not seriously hurt, Countryman said.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s inmate roster, his next scheduled court appearance is listed as Saturday at 3 p.m. ET in Jefferson County court.

The suspect’s brother, Daniel Aguilera, said Rogel is Cuban and is a permanent resident of the United States. Also a truck driver, Aguilera said he spoke to his brother after the crash and Rogel told him his brakes failed.

Countryman said there’s no evidence of drugs or alcohol in the crash.

When asked whether there were any mechanical issues with the truck, Countryman said it is something his department is looking into, but he believes even if there were a mechanical issue, vehicular manslaughter charges would still stick.

The semi hit cars stuck in a jam due to evening rush hour and a prior crash farther ahead, Countryman said. At least six people were hospitalized with injuries after the crash, according to the Lakewood Police Department.

“We do know that I-70 eastbound traffic was at a standstill or close to a standstill because of a crash way out ahead of it,” he said at a news conference. “The semi was eastbound and ended up colliding with the … cars that were stopped because of the accident ahead. That’s all we know or we are releasing at this point.”

Josh McCutcheon, who caught the crash on video, told CNN sister networki HLN he had never seen such devastation. He’s doing fine now, he said, but he was “startled and in shock” when he saw the deadly pileup, the explosions and the plumes of smoke.

“Oh, my God,” he shouted when it happened.

McCutcheon praised a “good Samaritan” for pulling people out of cars.

“That’s a true hero,” he said of the man, who had been panhandling in the area.

Video from the scene showed towering orange flames and piles of lumber scattered across the highway. By Thursday night, the area was littered with smoldering ruins.

Darin Barton was panhandling near the scene when the crash happened. He told CNN affiliate KDVR that when the cab of the truck rolled over and flames ignited, he quickly dropped the sign he was holding and ran toward the cars.

“It just caught on fire. And I just dropped my sign, took off running,” Barton said. “As soon as I [saw] flames, I headed under the bridge, grabbed three or four people out of a couple cars.”

The fire was extinguished, but glowing embers and hot spots prevented investigators from immediately getting to the crashed vehicles. Investigators are working to match who was in each car, police said.

It’s unclear what made the vehicles ignite, Countryman said, adding that he does not know what was in the semis other than the one that appeared to be carrying lumber.

“This is looking to be one of the worst accidents we’ve had here in Lakewood,” he said.

The Denver West Parkway bridge over I-70 sustained significant structural damage from the fire, authorities said. The portion of I-70 affected by the crash is closed overnight in both directions.

Lakewood is about 10 miles from Denver. </s> LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Latest on fatal pileup on Interstate 70 near Denver (all times local):

The truck driver accused of killing four people in a fiery crash near Denver is a 23-year-old licensed operator from Texas.

Authorities said Friday that Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos was arrested in Thursday's rush hour crash on busy Interstate 70 based on interviews and evidence gathered by investigators.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman said there's no indication the crash was intentional and says he has been cooperative. Police wouldn't provide a hometown for him.

Jail records don't indicate if he has a lawyer. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Saturday.

He is being held on suspicion of vehicular homicide but prosecutors have not filed formal charges against him.

Colorado officials say four people have died after a semi-truck hauling lumber plowed into vehicles on Interstate 70, causing a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off of cars.

Authorities had to wait until daylight Friday to confirm the death toll from Thursday's 28-vehicle pileup because of the devastation caused by the fire.

Six people were taken to hospitals with injuries. Their conditions are unclear.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman says the driver of the truck who caused the crash sustained minor injuries. He has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide.

Officials say the driver was headed down a hill when he slammed into slower traffic. Countryman says there is no indication the crash was intentional.

A truck driver blamed for causing a deadly pileup involving over two dozen vehicles near Denver has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman said Friday that there's no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in Thursday's crash.

The unidentified driver was headed down a hill on Interstate 70 when he slammed into slower traffic and sparked a massive fire. Countryman said police are looking at whether his brakes were working properly.

He said 28 vehicles were involved, up from the initial 15 vehicles police reported after further sorting through the burned wreckage.

Police still say there were multiple fatalities but are still working to provide an exact number.

The highway is expected to remain closed until Saturday. </s> LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Four people died after a semi-truck hauling lumber plowed into vehicles on a crowded section of Interstate 70 near Denver, causing a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and…

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Four people died after a semi-truck hauling lumber plowed into vehicles on a crowded section of Interstate 70 near Denver, causing a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off of cars, authorities said Friday.

Authorities had to wait until daylight to confirm the death toll from Thursday afternoon’s 28-vehicle pileup because of the devastation caused by the fire.

Lakewood police spokesman John Romero described it as a chain reaction of crashes and explosions from ruptured gas tanks. “It was crash, crash, crash and explosion, explosion, explosion,” he said.

Six people were taken to hospitals with injuries. Their conditions were unclear on Friday.

“There is just a bunch of debris from this crash that took place. The carnage was significant, just unbelievable,” another department spokesman, Ty Countryman, said.

The driver of the truck suspected of causing the crash, Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos of Texas, has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide, police said.

Officials say 23-year-old, who sustained minor injuries, was headed down a hill when he slammed into traffic slowed because of a previous crash ahead of him on I-70. There is no indication the crash was intentional and that drugs or alcohol were a factor but investigators were looking at whether his truck’s brakes were working, Countryman said.

I-70 is Colorado’s vital east-west highway that connects the mountains with the plains and traffic has grown worse as the state’s population has boomed. The crash happened just after the highway descends from the mountains, where signs warn drivers to check to make sure their brakes are cool and working after traveling down the steep grades.

There are also ramps on hills off the sides of the highway for trucks that lose their brakes so drivers can exit and slow down before hitting other vehicles.

Pam Russell, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County district attorney’s office, said Aguilera is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Saturday to be advised of his rights. A judge also may consider bond during that initial advisement hearing. There was no information on whether he is represented by an attorney.

Russell said formal charges have not been filed by prosecutors.

A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said the federal agency is monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the crash but it is not involved. Peter Knudson said the NTSB’s teams get involved when the agency sees an opportunity to issue new traffic safety recommendations.

He said the agency opens investigations into between 15 and 20 of an estimated 8 million traffic accidents that occur in the U.S. each year.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. </s> (CNN) — The driver of the semi-truck that plowed into stopped traffic on Interstate 70 near Denver is in custody and will be charged with multiple counts of vehicular homicide, police said Friday.

A day after the crash, the death toll remains at “multiple” as investigators inspect the burned-out vehicles, Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman told reporters.

“We’re just saying ‘multiple’ at this time,” he said, adding that six people were hospitalized with injuries.

Asked whether there were still any bodies at the crash site, Countryman said, “Unfortunately, yes, there are.”

Twenty-eight vehicles were involved in the crash: four semis and 24 cars, Countryman said.

The driver, who was behind the wheel of a flatbed truck loaded with lumber, was injured in the crash but not seriously, Countryman said. The driver will be in the Jefferson County Jail as soon as he’s been medically cleared and booked.

Countryman said there’s no evidence of drugs or alcohol in the crash.

When asked whether there were any mechanical issues with the truck, Countryman said it is something his department is looking into, but he believes even if there was a mechanical issue, vehicular manslaughter charges would still stick.

The truck was eastbound on I-70 as the freeway descends from the mountains to the west edge of the Denver metro area.

“We do know that I-70 eastbound traffic was at a standstill or close to a standstill because of a crash way out ahead of it,” Countryman said at a news conference. “The semi was eastbound and ended up colliding with the … cars that were stopped because of the accident ahead. That’s all we know or we are releasing at this point.”

Video from the scene showed towering orange flames and piles of lumber scattered across the highway. By Thursday night, the area was littered with smoldering ruins.

Darin Barton was panhandling near the scene when the crash happened. He told CNN affiliate KDVR that when the cab of the truck rolled over and flames ignited, he quickly dropped the sign he was holding and ran toward the cars.

“It just caught on fire. And I just dropped my sign, took off running,” Barton said. “As soon as I [saw] flames, I headed under the bridge, grabbed three or four people out of a couple cars.”
• Truck driver who drove semi that killed multiple people in 28-car pile-up near Denver named
• Multiple people dead in fiery crash after semi plowed into traffic on Denver highway The fire was extinguished, but glowing embers and hot spots prevented investigators from immediately getting to the crashed vehicles. Investigators are working to match who was in each car, police said early Friday.

It’s unclear what made the vehicles ignite, Countryman said, adding that he does not know what was in the semis other than the one that appeared to be carrying lumber.

“This is looking to be one of the worst accidents we’ve had here in Lakewood,” he said.

The Denver West Parkway bridge over I-70 sustained significant structural damage from the fire, authorities said. The portion of I-70 affected by the crash was closed overnight in both directions. </s> A major interstate in Colorado was closed Friday morning as police investigated a fiery crash that left at least four people dead. Smoke billowed from the scene in Lakewood, just west of Denver, as flames incinerated vehicles.

CBS Denver, citing authorities, reported that 24 cars and 4 semi-trucks were involved in the crash on Interstate 70. Officials said it took hours for the fire to subside, and while they confirmed at least four fatalities, just how many people had been killed remained unclear.

A truck driver, later identified as Rogel Lazaro Aguilera, was blamed for causing the deadly pileup and has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges. Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman said Friday that there's no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in Thursday's crash on Interstate 70.

Aguilera was headed down a hill when he slammed into slower traffic and sparked a massive fire. Countryman said police are looking at whether his brakes were working.

One man caught video of the semi-truck allegedly responsible for the crash screaming past his car on the shoulder of I-70. The truck driver was among the injured.

A spokesperson for the Lakewood Police Department said at a Thursday evening news conference about 12 people were treated for injuries in area hospitals.

Colorado transport officials urged drivers to avoid the area altogether on Friday as the sections of the highway were expected to remain shut into the morning rush hour. </s> LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Four people died after a semi-truck hauling lumber lost control and plowed into vehicles on a crowded section of Interstate 70 near Denver, triggering explosions and a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off of cars, authorities said Friday.

“It was crash, crash, crash and explosion, explosion, explosion,” said John Romero, a spokesman for the Lakewood, Colorado, police department, describing the 28-vehicle chain reaction of blasts from ruptured gas tanks.

READ MORE: Multiple vehicles involved in fiery crash on Colorado highway, several killed

The truck driver, Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23, of Houston, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide as police continue to investigate what happened.

Six people were taken to hospitals with injuries but their conditions were unclear Friday.

“There is just a bunch of debris from this crash that took place. The carnage was significant, just unbelievable, another department spokesman, Ty Countryman, said.

WATCH: Truck driver charged in deaths of at least 4 people in fiery Denver highway crash

Officials say Aguilera-Mederos, who sustained minor injuries, was headed down a hill when he lost control and slammed into traffic slowed because of a previous crash ahead of him on I-70 involving a school bus and a tractor-trailer.

There is no indication the crash was intentional and that drugs or alcohol were a factor but investigators were looking at whether his truck’s brakes were working, Countryman said.

I-70 is Colorado’s vital east-west highway that connects the mountains with the plains and traffic has grown worse as the state’s population has boomed. The crash happened just after the highway descends from the Rockies, where signs warn drivers to check to make sure their brakes are cool and working after travelling down the steep grades.

There are also ramps on hills off the sides of the highway for trucks that lose their brakes so drivers can exit and slow down before hitting other vehicles.

Workers cleared the burned and mangled wreckage from the highway and worked quickly to replace the top layer of burned pavement on Friday. A burned tractor-trailer hauled away was barely recognizable except for its size and its smokestack.

WATCH: ‘It was just really scary’ — Motorists recount hearing ‘boom’ from Denver Highway pile-up

Aguilera-Mederos is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Saturday to be advised of his rights. A judge also may consider bond during that initial advisement hearing. There was no information on whether he is represented by an attorney.

Formal charges have not been filed by prosecutors, Pam Russell, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County district attorney’s office, said.

Federal agencies are also monitoring the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board said its teams get involved when the agency sees an opportunity to issue new traffic safety recommendations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates and provides safety oversight for large trucks and buses, said it is working with state and local authorities to assist in any way it can. </s> At least 1 dead, 10 injured following fiery crash involving 12 cars, 3 semis on I-70 (The Denver Channel/YouTube)

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — A truck driver blamed for causing a deadly pileup involving over two dozen vehicles near Denver has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges.

Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman said Friday that there’s no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in Thursday’s crash on Interstate 70.

The unidentified driver was headed down a hill when he slammed into slower traffic and sparked a massive fire. Countryman said police are looking at whether his were working.

Countryman said 28 vehicles were involved, up from the initial 15 vehicles police reported after further sorting through the burned wreckage.

Police still say there were multiple fatalities but can’t provide an exact number until they make sure all people who were in the vehicles are accounted for.

The highway is expected to remain closed until Saturday. </s> The driver of the tractor-trailer that collided with the Humboldt Broncos team bus has been arrested and charged, RCMP announced on Friday.

Truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 29, is facing 16 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and 13 counts of dangerous operation of motor vehicle causing bodily injury.

He was arrested at his home in Calgary on Friday morning and remanded into custody. Sidhu is set to appear in court in Saskatchewan next week, but no date has been set.

Convictions for dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death can result in a sentence of up to 14 years in prison, while a conviction for injuring someone could land someone in prison for 10 years.

RCMP Superintendent Derek Williams explains the difference between a dangerous driving charge and driving without due care and attention charge. 0:36

"Whatever happened, happened for a reason," said crash survivor and former Bronco Ryan Straschnitzki. "His intention wasn't to go out and hurt us that day, but that mistake is obviously going to change his life and changed all our lives."

The Humboldt Broncos released a statement Friday afternoon thanking the RCMP and its investigators for their work.

"Our organization has faith in the justice system and we will be watching closely as this court process plays out," the statement read. "Our primary focus continues to be supporting the survivors, families and others that were directly impacted by the tragedy on April 6."

Sidhu was working for the Calgary-based Adesh Deol Trucking Ltd. when the crash occurred at a rural intersection.

He was driving west on Highway 335 in a semi as a Charlie's Charters bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos was northbound on Highway 35 to an SJHL playoff game in Nipawin, Sask.

The team bus was travelling northbound on Highway 35. The semi-trailer was coming from the east on Highway 335. The semi had a stop sign and the bus did not. (CBC )

The bus had the right of way. There is a flashing stop sign for drivers on Highway 335 at Highway 35 between Nipawin and Tisdale. The RCMP said the semi was in the intersection when the vehicles collided.

Sidhu was briefly detained after the April 6 collision then released. He was uninjured.

"I know it has been difficult for many to await the outcome of this police investigation," said Curtis Zablocki, Saskatchewan RCMP commanding officer and assistant commissioner, noting the three-month timeline. "The time it took to do this work — this important work — was necessary."

The Canadian Trucking Alliance said in a statement Friday that once the facts of the case are known, it will work with the provinces and the federal government to improve commercial vehicle safety.

The statement also said the CTA would like to see the results of the investigation into the trucking company that employed Sidhu.

What we know about Sidhu

Sidhu worked for the trucking company for a month prior to the fatal collision, according to owner Sukhmander Singh. Singh said Sidhu trained with him for two weeks and was driving on his own for two more weeks before the crash.

Although Sidhu was not injured in the crash, he did receive trauma counselling in the aftermath.

Sidhu was a bachelor of commerce student at Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, from 2008 until 2012, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He made his way to Calgary on a student visa in 2013 to study for a diploma in business administration at Bow Valley College from 2014 until 2015.

Sidhu's lawyer declined to comment on his client.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Humboldt Broncos were heading to Nipawin for a playoff game when the collision occurred.

Ten Broncos players died. The six other deaths included the bus driver, an athletic therapist, the head coach, assistant coach and two employees of Humboldt's FM radio station.

Ten members of the Broncos died in the crash. The six other deaths included the bus driver, an athletic therapist, the head coach, assistant coach and two employees of Humboldt's FM radio station. (CBC)

Dangerous driving vs. criminal negligence

Saskatoon-based criminal defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle said dangerous driving is just one of the possible charges that can be laid after serious collisions in Saskatchewan.

Criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm would be among the other possible charges.

Pfefferle said the RCMP's decision to charge Sidhu with dangerous driving suggests the Crown will argue that the driver's behaviour was more than negligence or a momentary lapse of judgment.

In order to secure a conviction, Pfefferle said the Crown will have to prove that the accused was driving in "a manner that constituted a marked departure from the standard of a reasonably prudent driver in the circumstances."

"There's lots of accidents that happen on Saskatchewan roadways where these types of charges aren't laid," said Pfefferle.

"So I'm slightly surprised, I guess, by the fact that they've laid the charge but they obviously know information that the rest of the public doesn't know."

The stop sign

Police have not disclosed the findings of their investigation into how the crash happened.

Brad Muir, an accident investigator with the Collision Reconstruction Group in Ajax, Ont., said he is pleased to see charges laid.

"I think we need to look and dig a little further into the facts of not just going through a stop sign, but what was the speed?" he said.

"We've got obviously a heavily laden commercial vehicle."

Muir believes professional truck drivers need to be held to a high standard.

"I think that's going to go into the decision-making of laying that higher level criminal charge," he said.
A Texas semi truck driver with no criminal record is arrested and faces 4 counts of vehicular homicide after he told police his brakes were failing on I-70 as it descended from the mountains in Colorado and caused a 28 vehicle crash CBS Denver [Denver Post]