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Woman, kids injured in wreck

Speed, road conditions likely cause of two-vehicle collision

Gary E. Salazar

— An Oak Creek woman and her two children were taken to Yampa Valley Medical Center Monday morning following a two-vehicle accident on Colorado 131.

Marca Derwent, her 13-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter were taken to the hospital after the sport utility vehicle she was driving collided with an oncoming flatbed truck just after 10 a.m. one mile north of Oak Creek.

Of the three, the boy suffered the most serious injuries a broken pelvis and broken right leg, said Christine McKelvie, a hospital spokeswoman. Authorities did not release the names of the children.



Derwent and her children were on their way to Steamboat Springs when she lost control of the Jeep at about milepost 153 and collided with a Ferrellgas truck, Colorado State Trooper Dave Siefken said.

“The Jeep was coming around a right-hand turn when (Derwent) lost control,” Siefken said. “The Jeep fishtailed and the passenger side collided with the front of the southbound truck.”



Derwent and her son were rescued from the Jeep by Oak Creek firefighters.

Derwent’s son was sitting in the passenger seat and her daughter was sitting in the back seat.

The driver of the blue Ford truck, Marvin Doherty, 53, of Phippsburg, was not injured.

Derwent and her daughter were treated for minor injuries and released Monday afternoon. Derwent was treated for a broken collarbone and a bruised leg, and her daughter was treated for minor cuts and bruises, McKelvie said.

Because of the accident, Derwent faces charges of careless driving causing bodily injury and operating an uninsured vehicle, Siefken said.

Doherty was wearing a seatbelt, but Derwent was not, Siefken said. However, Derwent’s son and daughter were both wearing seatbelts.

To rescue Derwent and her son, firefighters removed the Jeep’s soft top to get to the woman and the boy, who was pinned against the passenger door, Oak Creek Fire Chief Chuck Wisecup said.

Siefken said speed and the road conditions were a factor.

“The roads were snowpacked and icy in spots,” he said. “I was told by witnesses the Jeep came around the corner too fast.”

Because of the accident, authorities had to reduce the narrow two-lane road to one lane for about three hours.


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