Update (February 18, 2026): Authorities have identified the people killed in this accident as Karen Ann Marsh of Pueblo, Mary Sue Thayer of Rye and David L. Kirscht and Scott L. Kirscht of Walsenberg. Thomas Thayer died February 18 from injuries suffered in the crash. The crash involved seven semi-trucks and 29 passenger vehicles, authorities said. It resulted in one person being hospitalized with critical injuries, seven with serious injuries and 21 with moderate to mild injuries.
Pueblo, CO — February 17, 2026, four people were killed and 29 people were injured in a multi-vehicle truck accident at about 10 a.m. on Interstate 25.
Authorities said at least 30 vehicles were involved in the crash on southbound I-25 near mile marker 92 as a “brownout” caused by blowing dirt limited visibility. The pileup involved at least six semi-trucks and more than 20 passenger vehicles.
Four people died from injuries suffered in the crash south of Pueblo Boulevard, according to authorities, while 29 were hospitalized with a range of injuries.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Pueblo County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people read about a 30-vehicle pileup on I-25, the first questions aren’t legal; they’re practical. How does something like this even happen in the middle of the day? Were the truck drivers warned about the blowing dirt? Did anyone slow down? And when visibility drops near zero, who is supposed to make the call to stop?
Authorities say a “brownout” caused by blowing dirt limited visibility near mile marker 92. At least six semi-trucks and more than 20 passenger vehicles were involved. Four people died and 29 others were hospitalized. Beyond that, we don’t have much.
And that lack of detail matters.
When visibility suddenly disappears, every driver has a duty to respond appropriately. For passenger vehicles, that usually means slowing down immediately and, if necessary, pulling off the roadway. For commercial truck drivers, the responsibility is even greater. An 80,000-pound vehicle traveling at highway speed cannot stop on a dime. That means professional drivers are expected to anticipate hazards and adjust before they’re on top of them.
But here’s what we don’t yet know:
- Did the brownout develop suddenly, or were there visible dust conditions for miles leading up to the crash?
- Were truck drivers traveling at reduced speeds?
- Did any of the trucks jackknife or block lanes after an initial collision?
- Did one impact trigger the chain reaction, or were there multiple simultaneous crashes?
Those are not small details. They determine how this started, and who bears responsibility.
In a crash this large, evidence is everything. Each semi-truck involved likely has an engine control module (ECM), often called a “black box.” That data can show speed, braking, throttle input and whether cruise control was engaged in the seconds before impact. If a truck was traveling at full highway speed into near-zero visibility, the ECM will show it.
We also don’t yet know whether any of the trucks were equipped with forward-facing dash cameras or in-cab cameras. Many fleets use them. That footage can show exactly when visibility dropped and how drivers responded. Without it, we’re left with conflicting accounts.
Another key question is spacing. Commercial drivers are trained to maintain greater following distances, especially in poor conditions. If traffic ahead began slowing due to blowing dirt, were the trucks leaving enough room to stop safely? Or were they following too closely for the conditions?
And then there’s the company side of the equation. What training did these drivers receive about high-wind dust events? Were there weather alerts that morning? Did dispatch communicate any warnings? It’s not clear whether companies monitored conditions along that stretch of I-25 or advised drivers to delay travel.
In past cases I’ve handled involving low-visibility pileups, the root cause often isn’t just “bad weather.” Weather is a condition. The real issue is how drivers and companies respond to it. Sometimes one driver fails to slow down. Other times, multiple drivers make the same mistake at the same time. In large chain-reaction crashes, accountability can be shared.
It’s also possible that one initial impact created a blockage that other drivers simply couldn’t avoid. Depending on whether a truck was moving at highway speed or already stopped when it was hit, very different legal questions arise.
Right now, authorities say the crash is under investigation. That investigation needs to focus on objective evidence:
- ECM downloads from each semi-truck
- Dash cam and in-cab footage
- Cell phone records to rule out distraction
- Driver qualification and training records
- Weather and wind data from that morning
Only when that evidence is reviewed can anyone say with confidence how this pileup unfolded.
Multi-vehicle crashes often get described as unavoidable acts of nature. Sometimes that’s true. But often, when the data is pulled and timelines are reconstructed, it becomes clear that preventable decisions were made in the moments leading up to impact.
The public deserves more than a general explanation about blowing dirt. They deserve to know whether the professionals behind the wheel of commercial trucks responded the way the law requires when visibility vanished.
Key Takeaways
- A brownout may explain reduced visibility, but it does not automatically explain why vehicles failed to slow or stop.
- Black box data, dash cam footage and cell phone records will be critical in determining how this pileup began.
- The timing of the first collision — and whether trucks were adjusting to conditions — will shape who is responsible.
- Large chain-reaction crashes often involve multiple contributing decisions, not just weather alone.
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