Two people died on Interstate 25 in Douglas County when they were hit by an alleged DUI driver, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

About 10:30 p.m. Wednesday a trooper responded to assist a motorist who was having “vehicle trouble” on northbound Interstate 25 near Castle Rock, according to a news release.

Four people were in the vehicle, which was missing a tire and was parked on the shoulder. There were two people who were outside of the disabled vehicle were instructed by the trooper to “return to their vehicle and get back inside as a safety precaution,” the release said.

The trooper was walking away from the two people heading towards his cruiser when a ‘random car took over the shoulder” and struck the pair as they were getting back into the vehicle.

Both victims died at the scene upon impact, and the driver who hit them then hit a guardrail. That driver was taken to a hospital and was discharged.

The driver, a Castle Rock resident, was arrested on investigation of two counts of vehicular homicide and booked into the Douglas County jail. The driver is suspected of being impaired at the time of the crash.

Of the fatal crashes investigated by the State Patrol this year from January through July, 21.6% were caused by a driver traveling outside of their designated lane, and 18% were caused by a driver getting behind the wheel while under the influence, the release said.

Impaired driving is a major problem in Colorado and the surrounding area. In 2021, there were 691 drunk driving-related car accidents resulting in someone being killed or injured. And, with the relatively recent legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and specific DUI accidents, there are even more crashes due to impaired drivers.

If you were in an accident with a driver who was under the influence of cannabis, our Colorado DUI accident lawyer relating to injury can determine if you have a case and, if so, help you move forward through the legal process. After all, drivers impaired by cannabis are subject to the same laws as those who are impaired by alcohol.