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2 accidents occur in 2 days at 8 Corners

1 driver still critically injured
A pickup from last Friday's wreck at Eight Corners was loaded up and hauled away. Neither driver was seriously injured, but a driver in a wreck Wednesday in the same location was not as fortunate.

Two drivers trying to make left turns from U.S. Highway 160 onto the Buck Highway were involved in two separate wrecks two days apart.

One of them, Christopher Ellis, 31, is still in critical condition at St. Anthony Hospital in Denver.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, Ellis was westbound on the highway on Wednesday, Sept. 3, when he turned his 2008 GMC pickup left at the intersection.

He was struck by Michael Maez, 41, of La Jara, who was driving a 2001 Dodge Ram and pulling a trailer. Ellis was not wearing a seat belt.

"I think that would have helped matters," said a spokesman for the state patrol.

The second collision took place on Friday, Sept. 5, when Charlie Ketcham of Alamosa was turning left at the same spot in his 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. He was hit by Frederick Lockard of Bayfield, who was driving a 2010 Toyota Tacoma. One driver reported an injury, but no one was transported to the hospital.

The state patrol officer urged drivers to take a few moments to look before turning left in front of oncoming traffic.

"It's a two-second decision that can save your life," he said.