Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

EL PASO COUNTY - A man is in the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center, accused of causing a five-vehicle crash and the deaths of two Elbert County 911 dispatchers.

The crash happened Sunday afternoon on Highway 24, three-and-a-half miles west of Calhan in El Paso County.

Troopers say 38-year-old Donald Massmann was going east on the two-lane road and attempted to pass a camper on the left by pulling into the westbound lane. The camper was pulling a vehicle behind it. Three other vehicles were behind Massmann's pickup.

It was foggy and there was a tractor-trailer in that westbound lane, driven by 51-year-old Stanley Strock of Windsor. According to troopers, Massmann attempted to move back into his lane, but the rear of his pickup collided with the front of the tractor-trailer. The pickup then rotated, went off the road and rolled.

Because of damage, the tractor-trailer went into the eastbound lane, where it collided with another pickup truck, driven by 48-year-old Terry Jacques of Limon, and a Ford Tempo, driven by 56-year-old Richard Rockwell of Simla. The driver of a Ford Mustang, 45-year-old Todd Sielaff of Simla, was behind the Ford Tempo and tried to avoid the crash, but instead crashed into the tractor-trailer. Both Sielaff and Rockwell were killed.

Rockwell and Sielaff were dispatchers for the Elbert County Sheriff's Office and were on their way home from their jobs in Kiowa.

"The whole sequence – how it happened in two separate vehicles – it was shocking how it came to be," said Elbert County Commissioner John Melti.

Monday, the flag outside the Elbert County Sheriff's Office flew at half-staff.

"I know the employees are just somber. They're upset. We're all in shock over this," Melti said.

Strock complained of chest pain before leaving the scene.

Massmann was booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center for two counts of careless driving causing death.

(Source: www.9news.com)

Sielaff, 45, was a shift supervisor who worked for Elbert County for five years. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters, West said.

Rockwell, 57, was a retired Army veteran who had only been on the job for four months. He is survived by a wife and a daughter.

He recently took the job as a dispatcher, in part, "to be in a position to help the community," [Elbert County Communications Director, Steve] West told the [Denver] Post.

Very sad news.

Very sad situation indeed.

:(

Prayers go out to family and friends.

Rockwell and Sielaff were dispatchers for the Elbert County Sheriff's Office and were on their way home from their jobs in Kiowa.

"The whole sequence – how it happened in two separate vehicles – it was shocking how it came to be," said Elbert County Commissioner John Melti.

Monday, the flag outside the Elbert County Sheriff's Office flew at half-staff.

"I know the employees are just somber. They're upset. We're all in shock over this," Melti said.

(Source: www.9news.com)


RIP Gentlemen, We'll take it from here.

My thoughts and prayers for the families and the agency.

:(

Very sad to hear. RIP. My thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends and co workers.

Very sad. :(

Very sad.


We had a triple fatal in the next county last week. Drunk driver going the wrong way on a 4 lane highway in a Dodge Durango hit a Honda Civic head-on. She was fine, the 3 guys in the Civic are dead.

Is Massman facing any criminal charges ?

Rip

:(

very Sad Situation Indeed.

:(

Prayers Go Out To Family And Friends.


+1 :(