Two are dead after a suspect fled police and crashed into another vehicle Tuesday, Oct. 14.

A 29-year-old man suspected of breaking into vehicles in Summit, Clear Creek and Eagle counties crashed while being pursued by law enforcement and died in the crash, and a driver he crashed into is also dead, according to news released from the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado State Patrol.

An investigation into car break-ins at a hotel in Georgetown led law enforcement to the suspect, who the Clear Creek release stated is believed to have committed at least 25 vehicle trespasses over the last two weeks, including ones where a firearm and ammunition were stolen.

Clear Creek Sheriff’s Office deputies learned around 2 p.m. Oct. 14 that the suspect was in the area of U.S. Highway 40 at Floyd Hill. Deputies and Idaho Springs Police responded and attempted a traffic stop after the vehicle turned onto U.S. Highway 6 westbound at its intersection with U.S. 40 east of Idaho Springs.

The vehicle did not stop, instead driving the wrong way on an Interstate 70 exit ramp and traveling west in the eastbound lanes. The Clear Creek release stated there was “virtually no” eastbound traffic at the time due to rock scaling traffic holds. The vehicle turned around after about a half-mile and went back to the I-70 and U.S. 6 intersection.

Exiting I-70 and heading east on U.S. 6, the vehicle drove through stop sticks a deputy had placed on the road. It continued east until reaching Tunnel 6 at mile marker 259, where it crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a westbound vehicle. That vehicle was pushed off the roadway and rolled.

The driver of the westbound vehicle was airlifted to a hospital and later pronounced dead, according to the Colorado State Patrol release. The 29-year-old suspect died at the scene, and a 27-year-old woman who was a passenger in his car was transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to the State Patrol release.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook on Oct. 13 warning about an increase in car break-ins this month. Lt. Mike Schilling said these crimes become more common during “shoulder seasons” between tourism peaks in Summit County.

Schilling said 26 break-ins had occurred in Summit, Leadville and Vail since Oct. 2, which was high, even for a shoulder season. 

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office shared a Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office post on Facebook about the fatal crash, calling it a “tragic update” to the car break-ins the office had been investigating and posting about earlier in the week.

Another crash involved Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies who were responding to the incident, according to the State Patrol release. Three sheriff’s vehicles were driving westbound on U.S. 6 when the one in front struck a raised metal construction plate in a construction area and went airborne.

The other two sheriff’s vehicles crashed while trying to avoid the first, and one of the two struck a concrete barrier, resulting in its driver going to a hospital with minor injuries.

The Clear Creek release stated its sheriff’s office is investigating the crimes related to the suspect in conjunction with Summit County and other jurisdictions. Colorado State Patrol is investigating the fatal crash.