A tragic accident occurred on Interstate 70 west of Denver, resulting in the deaths of a newlywed couple and the bride’s mother. Ruben Rodriguez, Juliana Rodriguez Plata, and Luz Melba Martinez lost their lives when a semitruck overturned on August 10. The bride’s father, Carlos Joaquin Plata, and the couple’s 1-year-old son Danny sustained injuries in the crash, according to Janell Rodriguez, Ruben Rodriguez’s sister-in-law.
The family was en route to the mountains when the accident took place. The eastbound truck overturned, spilling large plastic pipes onto the median and causing a collision involving three vehicles in the westbound lanes, stated Wheat Ridge police division chief Eric Kellogg.
The surviving family members are devastated by the loss. The absence of both parents leaves young Danny without his caregivers. Janell Rodriguez expressed the family’s struggle, stating, “It’s hard for the family. So we’re just gathered here right now just trying to be strong together.”