A horrific crash on Interstate 70 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado claimed the lives of newlyweds Ruben Rodriguez Garcia, 32, and Juliana Rodriguez Plata, in her late 30s, just days after their wedding. The accident, which occurred on August 15, 2024, also killed Juliana’s mother, Luz Melba Martinez, 60.
The newlyweds, who tied the knot on August 10, were en route to the mountains for their honeymoon, accompanied by their one-year-old son, Daniel “Danny” Rodriguez Plata, Juliana’s mother, and Juliana’s father, Carlos Joaquin Plata, 61, when a semi-truck overturned on the eastbound side of the highway. The truck, carrying large blue plastic tubes weighing up to 500 lbs each, spilled its load across eastbound and westbound lanes. The family’s vehicle and six other cars were caught in the debris field, which stretched across more than two football fields.
Juliana’s father noticed the pipes falling and instinctively closed his eyes, feeling the impact without reacting. When he regained consciousness, he saw the baby crying while everyone else was unresponsive.
Ruben, Juliana, and Luz Melba were killed instantly. Daniel and Carlos were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and have since been released.
The driver of the semi-truck was also injured in the crash.
The accident occurred around 8:20 a.m. near Ward Road, causing I-70 to be closed in both directions for several hours. Emergency crews worked to clear the wreckage, and Wheat Ridge Police began investigating the cause of the accident.
A local media outlet reported that the location of the incident is within the Colorado Department of Transportation’s I-70/Ward Road Interchange reconstruction project. Driver Harry Payne shared concerns about the difficulty of navigating large trucks through this area, noting that he worries about the possibility of trucks tipping over each morning.
Another driver, Don Carver, expressed the need for better road signs in the area, suggesting that illuminated signs warning of sharp curves and the need to slow down would be more appropriate than the current signs.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) website, the project aims to replace two aging bridges on I-70 over Ward Road to accommodate increased traffic. The project is also part of a larger effort by CDOT to replace several bridges along I-70, highlighting the department’s commitment to improving infrastructure and ensuring public safety.
The tragedy has devastated the Rodriguez-Plata family. The couple had just celebrated the wedding, followed by their son Daniel’s first birthday on Sunday. Juliana’s parents had traveled from Colombia for the wedding festivities. A GoFundMe page organized by Janell Rodriguez, Ruben’s sister-in-law, shared the heartbreaking news, saying that Ruben and Juliana had just started their journey together, leaving behind their beloved son, Daniel. The fundraising effort has generated over $57,000. The money raised is intended to cover the funeral costs for the victims, support their surviving son, and help with any additional expenses.