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Families Sue Colorado Jeep Tour Company After Fatal CrashThe families of two Arizona women who were killed when their Jeep plummeted off a cliff in Colorado are suing the tour company. In an amended complaint filed in court recently, the families claim physical evidence shows the Jeep driver was likely legally drunk at the time of the crash.
Prototype Porsche Cayenne Electric competes in a hill climb event.
Both 28-year-old Diana Robles and 60-year-old Ofelia Perez were killed when the Jeep Gladiator they were riding in plummeted off a cliff on Camp Bird Road in southwestern Colorado. The driver, 72-year-old Don Fehd who was employed by Colorado West Jeep Rentals and Tours, was thrown from the off-roader and also died.
In the recent legal filing, attorneys representing the two women’s families claim the blood-alcohol content measured by authorities in Fehd postmortem was 0.027 precent, saying it “was likely much higher at the time the crash occurred.”
Information pulled off Fehd’s cellphone seem to indicate he struggled with an alcohol addiction for some time, or so indicates the legal filing. The families’ attorneys claim Colorado West Jeep Rentals and Tours knew about this yet still employed the man to drive paying customers through rugged, technical off-road areas in southwestern Colorado.
The families are not only going after Fehd’s estate but also the Jeep tour company.
According to CBS News, an investigation from Colorado State Patrol concluded Fehd “drove straight off the road and over a cliff without any indication of evasive maneuvers or emergency braking.”
There are two big takeaways from this incident, regardless of the outcome of the legal proceedings. First, mixing alcohol with off-roading is a bad idea. It’s just as dangerous, if not even more, than drinking before driving on public roads.
We know this isn’t a popular opinion in some off-roader circles, but it’s true. There aren’t guardrails and caution signs on most trails.
Second, if you go on an off-road tour in a Jeep or any other rig, be watchful of the driver’s behavior. Indications of impairment or poor driving skills should be reason to get out and walk. Someone who does that professionally should be highly proficient.
Image via Colorado West UTV and Jeeps/Facebook
The tragic loss of life following a crash in Colorado calls for thorough investigation and responsibility taken by the Jeep tour company, emphasizing that families can no longer remain silent but should seek justice through legal action.
