Pueblo, Colorado Man Thomas R. Thayer Identified Among Fatalities in Multi-Vehicle Crash0000

Pueblo, Colorado Man Thomas R. Thayer Identified Among Fatalities in Multi-Vehicle Crash0000

PUEBLO, CO — Thomas R. Thayer, a resident of Rye, has been identified as one of the victims in a deadly 36-vehicle crash that occurred south of Pueblo.

According to the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office, Thayer was initially hospitalized following the wreck and was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m. on Tuesday at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs. Interim Coroner Gregory Grahek said Thayer’s next of kin has been notified, and his cause and manner of death remain pending autopsy results.

The crash occurred around 10 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 25 south of Pueblo. Authorities reported that 36 vehicles were involved, including 29 passenger vehicles and seven semi-trucks.

In addition to Thayer, four others lost their lives in the wreck: David L. Kirscht and his son Scott L. Kirscht, both of Walsenburg; Mary Sue Thayer of Rye; and Karen Ann Marsh of Pueblo.

The Colorado State Patrol said 28 people were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Seven sustained serious injuries, while 21 others were treated for moderate to minor injuries.

Officials said “near-brownout” conditions caused by high winds and swirling dust contributed to low visibility at the time of the crash. The Colorado Department of Transportation indicated that weather conditions may have been a factor.

Interstate 25 was shut down in both directions for several hours as emergency crews responded. Southbound lanes reopened Tuesday afternoon, while northbound lanes reopened later that evening. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.