A Texas man who was killed Thursday on Wolf Creek Pass was standing outside his vehicle when a second car struck him, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
The victim was identified as Jian Wang, 40, of Plano, Texas.
Wang was driving west on U.S. Highway 160 about 4 p.m. when he lost control of his 2015 Toyota Sienna and collided with a concrete barrier at milepost 160, said Capt. Adrian Driscoll of the State Patrol.
Driscoll said Wang and his wife exited their vehicle and were walking alongside it when Wang was struck by another vehicle traveling westbound.
“They saw smoke from the airbags and thought the car was on fire, so he and his wife got out of the car while it was still in motion,” Driscoll said.
The second vehicle, a 2014 GMC SUV, was driven by Michael Wagliardo, 39, of Dallas, Texas.
Wang was pronounced dead at the scene. Driscoll said because inclement weather was a factor in the crash, CSP will not pursue charges.
Wolf Creek Ski Area reported receiving 8 inches of snow in the last 24 hours.
“It was really bad weather, and the driver just didn’t see him,” he said. “It was foggy and snowing pretty hard.”
The crash closed Wolf Creek Pass for several hours. U.S. Highway 160 reopened around 7:20 p.m.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
