DPS NEWS

Two Die in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash Overnight on I-70

At 11:07 pm on September 17th, 2020 on I-70 at mile marker 89, (East of Salina) a small white vehicle was called in to dispatchers as driving wrong-way on I-70 near MP 84. It was reported that the vehicle was traveling East in the Westbound lanes. A few minutes later, Richfield Communication Center received a call of a head-on crash involving the wrong-way vehicle near MP 89 on I-70. The small white vehicle traveling wrong direction struck a Ford Expedition head-on. After the head-on, the Ford Expedition was struck from behind by a semi truck. The Ford Expedition rolled down the road and into the median, landing on its wheels and catching on fire. The driver of the small white car was fully ejected and died on-scene. The driver of the Ford Expedition was killed on impact. A passenger in the Ford Expedition was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Alcohol and drug impairment are suspected as a contributing factor.

Update: The deceased driver of the white vehicle is Russann Johnson, age 54, of Provo. The deceased driver of the Ford Expedition is Gregory Romero, age unknown, of Romania.