Driver inattention investigated as possible cause for a fatal crash north of Cheyenne

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KIFI) - A fatal crash occurred around milepost 28 on US 85 north of Cheyenne, Wyoming Monday. 

At 4:22 p.m., Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers were notified of a motor vehicle collision.

A 2005 Nissan Frontier was headed north on US 85 and entered the southbound lane colliding head-on with a 2000 Volvo commercial truck.      

The driver of the Nissan has been identified as 54-year-old Torrington, Wyoming resident Martin Lopez. Lopez was wearing a seatbelt and succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the crash.      

The driver of the Volvo has been identified as 62-year-old Wade, North Carolina resident Rimantas Talalas.  Talalas was wearing a seatbelt and not injured in the crash. 

Driver inattention on the part of Lopez is being investigated as a potential contributing factor.

This is the 55^th fatality on Wyoming's roadways in 2021 compared to 59 in 2020, 93 in 2019, and 56 in 2018 to date.