On July 14th, 2020, at around 6:49 am, Wyoming Highway Patrol Troopers were dispatched to milepost 27 on US-26 near Fort Laramie, for a fatal crash.
A Toyota Rav 4 was traveling west on US-26 and had come upon a Ford Taurus stopped along the side of the roadway. The driver of the Toyota moved partially into the eastbound lane to drive around the stopped Ford. For reasons unknown, the driver of the Ford attempted a u-turn in the roadway as the Toyota begin to pass by, causing both vehicles to collide.
The driver of the Ford has been identified as 32-year-old Fort Laramie, Wyoming resident Amanda Wilhelm. Wilhelm was wearing a seatbelt and succumbed to her injuries at the scene of the crash.
The driver of the Toyota has been identified as 48-year-old Torrington, Wyoming resident Evan Brooks. Brooks was wearing his seatbelt and transported to the Community Hospital Torrington for injuries sustained in the crash.
Driver inattention and cell phone use on the part of Wilhelm are being investigated as possible contributing factors, according to WHP.
This is the 49th fatality on Wyoming’s roadways in 2020 compared to 87 in 2019, 54 in 2018, and 75 in 2017 to date.