New report details the events leading to the deadly Green River tunnel accident
GREEN RIVER, Wyoming (KIFI) - Wednesday, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary information detailing the events that led to the deadly Wyoming tunnel crash near the Green River last month.
On February 14, 2025, at around 11:33 AM, a 2006 Toyota Tundra Pickup truck was exiting the tunnel heading west in the left lane, when the truck lost traction, spun, and struck a metal guardrail. The truck came to a stop blocking traffic in the left lane, according to the NTSB report.
Investigators report that the initial crash led to a chain reaction as other vehicles exiting the Westbound tunnel attempted to avoid hitting the Toyota.
The driver of a 2024 Peterbilt truck tractor towing a 53-foot-long semitrailer swerved to avoid the Toyota and struck the tunnel on the left side. The Peterbilt driver was able to regain control of his vehicle, avoid impact with the Toyota Pickup, and pull over on the right shoulder of I-80 about 450 feet from the tunnel exit, according to the NTSB report.
Another driver, traveling in a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was also able to avoid the Toyota, hitting the metal guardrail and curb near the tunnel exit. According to the report, the Jeep came to a stop against the hillside beyond the right shoulder of I-80.
Only seconds later, investigators detail that the driver of a 2020 Volvo VNL truck tractor towing a 53-foot-long semitrailer, braked in response to the stopped Toyota, causing the Volvo to "jackknife" inside the tunnel blocking the remaining exit.
The situation continued to deteriorate as more crashes followed and some vehicles even caught fire inside the tunnel. NTSB reports that, shortly after the Volvo and its trailer came to a stop, a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup truck with a driver and three passengers slammed into the Volvo's truck tractor. At the same time, the driver of a 2019 Freightliner Cascadia truck tractor carrying a 53-foot-long semitrailer swerved into the left lane, striking the tunnel wall and colliding with the Dodge Ram.
"The entangled Freightliner and Dodge continued traveling west, re-impacted the Volvo’s truck-tractor, exited the tunnel, struck the Toyota, and came to rest after striking the rear of the Peterbilt. Following these collisions, several other vehicles collided inside the tunnel, and a postcrash fire ensued," the report states.
The NTSB report states that three people died, two of the occupants of the Dodge Ram as a result of the collisions and the driver of a truck tractor/semitrailer who was trapped inside his vehicle in the ensuing postcrash fire. 20 people were injured as a result of the multi-vehicle crash according to investigators.
For the full report, click HERE.
