NHL
A snowplow driver lost control and collided with the van carrying a girls hockey team, according to the Colorado State Patrol. Ethan Miller / Getty Images
On Thursday morning, a snowplow from the Colorado Department of Transportation collided with a van carrying members of the Santa Clarita Lady Flyers 12AA girls hockey team from California, killing the van’s driver and injuring eight of the nine passengers in the van, one critically, according to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP).
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According to the CSP, the plow driver, later identified as 29-year-old Colton Weidman of Littleton, lost control, breaking through the median of Interstate 70 about 60 miles west of Denver, colliding in the eastbound lanes with a Toyota Tacoma truck and then the van, sending the van down an embankment.
The van driver, who has yet to be identified, was declared dead at the scene, while four juveniles were transported via ambulance to a local hospital and later released. Three adults remain hospitalized, with one in serious condition.
A fifth juvenile was flown via helicopter to a trauma center and was in critical condition. No one else involved in the wrecks was hurt.
In a statement on Instagram by team president Prescott Littlefield confirming the incident, he wrote, “This is a message I never imagined I would send.”
“Words cannot express the heartbreak we are experiencing.”
A post shared by Santa Clarita Flyers (@scflyershockey)
The National Hockey League Players’ Association issued a statement of condolence on the accident.
NHLPA statement on the tragic accident in Colorado – our hearts go out to the entire Santa Clarita Lady Flyers organization: pic.twitter.com/SF6kywt895
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) January 31, 2026
The NHL’s Los Angeles Kings posted a statement of support as well.
“Our hearts are with the families of the Lady Flyers involved in the tragic accident in Colorado. We are in ongoing communication with team representatives and will continue working with them to support those affected.”
A post shared by LA Kings (@lakings)
The UCLA Ice Hockey organization also posted support for the Lady Flyers. The Flyers play at UCLA’s “The Cube,” which is an ice and entertainment center in Santa Clarita and the home arena of the UCLA men’s hockey team.
“The Santa Clarita Flyers organization, who also play out of The Cube, are a staple of youth hockey in California. Many players on our team have either played for or against them growing up.”
A post shared by UCLA Hockey (@uclahockey)
Devon Henderson is a staff writer for The Athletic. He has covered the Summer Olympics, College Football Playoffs, and the Men’s Final Four while at Arizona State University and was an intern at the Southern California News Group, where he covered the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Sparks, and LAFC. Follow Devon on Twitter @HendersonDevon_
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