Law enforcement agencies have arrested a suspect who they said drove recklessly from Grand Lake to Estes Park through Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday. The man is accused of injuring three people in a high-speed crash after fleeing authorities.
Rocky Mountain National Park rangers said they attempted to pull over 23-year-old Wayde Thyfault after he was seen speeding through the Grand Lake entrance on the west side of the park.
Thyfault continued to drive along a 48-mile stretch of US Highway 34 all the way to Estes Park. Rangers said he was passing vehicles recklessly and at high speeds, which caused them to end their initial pursuit.
Park rangers, Estes Park police and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office attempted to slow the vehicle at the Beaver Meadows Entrance on the eastern side of the park by placing spike traps on the road.
Shortly after hitting the trap, Thyfault crashed his car into another vehicle near Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. Three people inside the vehicle were transported to a local hospital, one with critical injuries.
Thyfault was able to evade law enforcement for a period of time before being arrested. He was arrested near homes in western Estes Park, close to where he crashed, according to a park spokesperson. Park rangers said Thyfault is also wanted in connection with a felony burglary case in Grand County.
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