Colton Wiedman Faces 8 Misdemeanors After Striking SC Lady Flyers Hockey Team

Colton Wiedman, a 29-year-old resident of Littleton, has been charged with multiple traffic misdemeanors and an infraction following a fatal crash on January 29, 2026. The incident involved a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) snowplow and a sprinter van transporting the SC Lady Flyers, a 12uAA girls hockey team from Santa Clarita, California.

The Colorado State Patrol announced the charges on April 9, 2026. The charges stem from a collision on Interstate 70 in Clear Creek County that resulted in the death of one person and injuries to eight others.

Details of the I-70 Collision

The crash occurred just before 9 a.m. On January 29, 2026, in the eastbound lanes of I-70 near the Herman Gulch exit. According to the Colorado State Patrol, Wiedman was operating the CDOT snowplow in the westbound lanes when he lost control of the vehicle in snowy conditions.

The snowplow traveled through the median, broke through the cable rail, and entered the eastbound lanes of the interstate. The vehicle first collided with a Toyota Tacoma traveling eastbound. This impact caused the Toyota to crash through the median and strike a BMW in the westbound lanes.

The snowplow remained in the eastbound lanes, where it subsequently struck a Transit van. The van was carrying members of the SC Lady Flyers hockey team who were traveling to Colorado to participate in a weekend tournament with the World Girls Hockey League.

Casualties and Injuries

The driver of the team’s van, 38-year-old Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana Villegas of Chatsworth, died at the scene. Villegas was the father of one of the players on the SC Lady Flyers team.

In addition to the fatality, eight other people were injured in the crash. The group involved included youth hockey players and team affiliates traveling for the out-of-state competition.

Legal Charges and Employment Status

Following an investigation by the Colorado State Patrol, Wiedman faces a total of eight misdemeanors and one traffic infraction. The charges include:

• One count of careless driving causing death (Class 1 traffic misdemeanor)
• Four counts of careless driving causing serious bodily injury (Class 1 traffic misdemeanor)
• Three counts of careless driving causing bodily injury (Class 1 traffic misdemeanor)
• One count of failure to drive in a designated lane (Class A traffic infraction)

Heidi McCollum, the elected District Attorney of the Fifth Judicial District for the State of Colorado, stated that the district attorney’s office will review the charges filed by the State Patrol to determine if they are appropriate.

The Colorado Department of Transportation confirmed on April 9, 2026, that Wiedman was placed on administrative leave following the January 29 crash. The agency stated that his employment will be handled according to state personnel policies.

Wiedman is scheduled to appear in court on May 5, 2026.