The victim of a fatal crash involving multiple vehicles Monday near the base of Wolf Creek Pass was identified Tuesday as Joseph Leo Guarino, 63, of Elephant Butte, New Mexico, according to the Mineral County coroner.
Guarino was driving a 1993 Champion motor home westbound down the pass when he failed to stop for traffic slowing down or stopped in a construction zone, said Trooper Josh Lewis with the Colorado State Patrol.
The motor home, which was pulling a trailer, rear-ended a 2015 Ford pickup that was also pulling a trailer, and then hit a 2018 Hyundai, Lewis said.
The vehicles also struck a dump truck and a water tanker parked on the side of the road as part of the construction site, said Trooper Jeff Chmielewski.
“It was sort of a chain reaction,” he said.
Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be involved, but speed may have been a factor, he said.
The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. near mile marker 158 on U.S. Highway 160; the pass remained closed until about 8:15 p.m., Lewis said.
The driver of the Hyundai, Marc Montignon, 53, and his passenger, Vallerie DeBeaumont, 57, both of France, suffered “moderate” injuries and were taken to a hospital in Pagosa Springs, Lewis said.
shane@durangoherald.com
